SINGAPORE: Beautiful women and fast cars go hand in hand. It’s a fact.

We’re not talking about just McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and his popstar squeeze, Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger. All you have to do is check out the Lamborghinis leaving Zouk on a Friday evening.

And if you’re still not convinced, you should have been there on Thursday night at the Marina Mandarin Hotel when the reigning Miss Universe met a race car driver for the first time.

“You’re the first driver I’ve ever met,” squealed Venezuelan beauty Dayana Mendoza, a guest of race organisers Singapore GP, as lucky Marlon Stockinger walked up to her.

The 1.77m-tall beauty draped her arms around the 17-year-old Swiss-Filipino student, who will race in the Formula BMW Pacific support race this weekend, and got a picture taken.

Stockinger walked off a little dazed by the warm reception from one of the world’s most beautiful women, but with a smile etched firmly on his face.

Never mind that it was actually the shy teenager who approached the statuesque 22-year-old for a picture, never mind that he stands at about 1.65m and comes up to about her nose, Stockinger will forever be the first speed demon Mendoza’s ever met.

He definitely left an impression, as the statuesque Venezuelan is hooked on race fumes.

“The Formula 1 cars are so beautiful,” she added. “I hope I can maybe get into one of them.”

‘I like secure, confident guys'

Mendoza’s father is a huge Formula 1 fan, but she admitted she knows nothing about the sport and can’t tell Felipe Massa from Robert Kubica and Giancarlo Fisichella.

Mendoza, who was crowned Miss Universe in July, arrived here on Thursday, just before dawn, but she showed ample stamina to charm Stockinger and chat with TODAY. She also cruised down the Singapore River and went up the Singapore Flyer.

This afternoon, she will meet President S R Nathan and all 20 Formula 1 drivers, along with other celebrities, at the President’s Challenge F1 Charity Luncheon to be held at the Istana.

And she’s aiming to get as many of the drivers’ autographs as she can, for her dad back home.

This weekend, Mendoza will grace the VIP area at the Paddock, where she is sure to distract a few fans from the fast and furious action on the track.

But the green-eyed Caracas native, who currently lives in a New York City apartment with Miss USA Crystle Stewart and Miss Teen USA Stevi Perry, insisted she’s still a homely girl who’s happily attached to her boyfriend of four years.

“He’s not jealous at all of my new life as Miss Universe and all the celebrities I meet,” she said.

“In fact, I even try to make him jealous sometimes, but he doesn’t seem to mind.”

One time, Mendoza recalled, her boyfriend found a box of his favourite Argentinian chocolates in her car, which her girlfriend had bought for her.

He asked where she got them, and she cheekily told him that it was a gift from a male admirer.

“He actually told me to not tell this other guy that I already have a boyfriend, so he would keep giving me the chocolates!” she claimed, in mock exasperation.

“But, seriously, I like secure guys with self confidence who don’t get jealous easily.”

Gentlemen, start your engines

This weekend, there will be plenty of confident men in “beautiful” Formula 1 cars hanging around the Paddock, and Mendoza’s beau may finally have something to be jealous of.

Especially since she’s planning on dressing light in case it gets too warm outside.

“I have no idea what to wear,” she said, thinking hard about the question.

“Maybe a little cocktail dress, something comfy.

“And hopefully after the race, I’ll get to sit in one of those beautiful Formula 1 cars and taste some action!” - TODAY/rose