How a Short Meeting with Rio Haryanto Can Actually Inspires Me

Probably the most exciting news I read this week is on how talented Indonesian prodigies are successfully stealing the world's attention. First, we have Joey Alexander, a jazz pianist, performed in the most prestigious Grammy Award. Surely, his rendition of jazz musics and knowing the fact he earned two Grammy nominations for his talent is breathtaking, but he's not the one who grabs my attention to write in this moment. It's the other prodigy. This other prodigy is the very first one who represents Indonesia, and even Asia, in no other F1 Grand Prix. I'm going to talk about Rio Haryanto. Specifically, my personal encounter with the racer.

I always wanted to write something about him in this blog, but I couldn't find the right time to do so. And now, he's everywhere in the internet and other media, so I guess this is the right momentum to finally tell you all about him. So, I hope you'll enjoy this and I hope it can inspire you as well.

The picture shown above clearly said it all. I had met him before. It was around March 2013 back then when I had an evening flight back to my hometown, Solo, to attend a relative's wedding by the weekend. I was with my mom that day, and I can remember a bit being on board to the plane carrying my sketchbook to kill the 50 minutes of boredom whilst being aboard. While I was busy doodling, my mom saw him sitting next to her, so it was two seats next to me. I didn't realise he was a racer as I never read or search up anything about racing before, so I was like: "Meh". I kept on doodling and silent for the rest of the flight, and I can remember hearing my mom having some round of conversations with him and his mom.

After the plane landed on Solo, my mom asked him if she can get a photo with him, and he said yes. But, instead of her being inside of the photo with him, she pushed me and make me be in the same frame as him. Gee. I didn't even put on some make-up that day. I was nervous and visibly starstrucked, but the photo result is quite nice, and I don't really looked chubby (duh). Then, he autographed my sketchbook, which I still keep until this day. We moved on afterwards, going out of the plane, Rio and his mom first and then my mom and I. His mom and him waved a big goodbye before we actually parted away. It was the nicest thing someone could do to me that day. They made my day, night to be more accurate.

Later, my mom requested me to draw a portrait of him because she promised him to send one during her conversation with him that day. I said: "okay, let me give a try". I went on the internet to do some research about him before I can actually draw him. I was fascinated to know that he was an avid racer since he was a little boy and a meeting with the well-known F1 racer Schumacher can actually introduce him with racing. Since then, he keep on chasing his dream to be as good as Schumacher by firstly became a Go Kart racer, then moved on to GP3, and then GP2 on the day I met him, and finally F1 this year. 

Some other thing I found out later that when he was winning a race, they didn't have Indonesia Raya anthem because they didn't expect him to win the race. So, they downloaded the anthem from the internet and played in while he was on the podium. I can't imagined being in a situation when you're being underrated. But he managed to keep on moving. Finished doing a little research about him, I started to draw. And the result? You can see it right now below: 

I sent the portrait drawing to his postal address in Solo. "Mission accomplished, I had done the good deed. Time to continue my life," I said. I wasn't expecting any feedback from him, I don't really care whether he liked it or now, but then this came into my Instagram account:

I was speechless and I didn't know what to do afterwards. The portrait drawing was arrived safe and sound and he spent his spare time to let me know (plus following my Instagram account, which was too surprising for me. Note: He still following me until today). It was the nicest thing someone like Rio Haryanto could ever done to me.

But this is not the end of my encounter with Rio Haryanto. In 2014, I was on my way to a campus event in Puncak when my mom told me she was on her way to a car expo somewhere in Jakarta (I didn't really remember the exact place. It was probably in Kemayoran). She said she was going to see him again and she brought him another portrait drawings that I made (I made multiple drawings after I sent the very first one). "Tell him I said hi, and sorry I couldn't make it to see him," I texted my mom, and ended the conversation.

Some few hours later, she came back with some pictures for me to see. Gasp. He was actually there, staring at my drawings. He autographed some of my drawings and then handed it back to my mom so I can keep it. 

She said her mother quickly notice my mom among the crowds and called her so she can be on the stage with Rio and her mom. My mom said he liked my drawing and thanked me for sending him one). And so, I am keeping an autographed drawing of Rio Haryanto, up to this day.

Having some encounters with someone as inspiring as Rio Haryanto inspires me also. Firstly, I really admire his determination. How he managed to keep on doing what he really likes. He never gives up. F1 is an expensive sport, so to get started, they have to collect as many sponsors as possible, and I guess that's the hardest point. He went everywhere, even the government, for support, to achieve his ultimate will to compete in the Grand Prix. I think that's what I call hard work, and he deserve to be in F1 because of his hard work. Secondly, Rio is excellent when it goes to his nationalism. He stated once that some countries offer him nationality so he can compete in F1 with their supports. He refused, because he choose to be in F1 as an Indonesian. I can imagine me being in that position. I must be too confused. Finally, how he managed to stay humble to other people. You read the stories above.

Hard work. Determination. Patriotism. Being humble. Those are the things I can learn from him.