Donington, 10 April, 2005. The first win of the new season went to Matt Howson who has returned for a second year in the championship with the newly formed Filsell Motorsport. Meanwhile it was the Australian Nathan Antunes (Motaworld Racing) who also took a win on his championship debut. In line with this the rest of the podium places were a mixture of the new and the old as Ross Curnow (Promatecme/Soper Sport) and Stian Sørlie (Fortec Motorsport) were second and third in race one. Newcomer Richard Keen (Team SWR Pioneer) was second in race two, while third place on this podium went to Sam Bird (Fortec Motorsport).
This result gives Matt an early championship lead with 30 points from Ross and Richard who are on 23 points each. Motor racing is not easy, but not many drivers compete with a broken ankle. This is what first race Rookie class winner, Michael Meadows (Master Motorsport) did and after second in race two is now leading the points table with Euan Hankey (Barwell Motorsport), who also had a first and second in the class. The two winners had one good and one bad race. Matt was feeling relieved after race one and said: "We were all race rusty so this was always going to be a real battle. I had the best start possible, but felt for Nathan as we were all struggling a bit and I could see him in front of me and he seemed to be fighting with his car more than I was." For Nathan, after spinning off while leading race one, it was also a relief to take a win. "That was a good season opener for me and I just wanted to make sure I did not make the same mistake in race two." Michael Meadows' face was covered in smiles: "This win is awesome and the best start I could imagine. To begin with I thought Jonathan had driven away then realised he had gone off. All in all it was quite a simple race for me."
Jonathan Legris (Pegasus Motorsport International) had in fact gone off avoiding another accident and then had an off of his own and eventually retired with a lap to go. In race two Euan had a grandstand view of a battle ahead of him but sensibly commented: "I got a good start and once Michael was not in my wing mirrors I was able to relax a bit and realised it would not be good for me to get involved in the battle in front."
In race one it was polesitter, Nathan Antunes (Motaworld Racing) who got the best start and, despite a fighting pack behind him, managed to pull out a lead that at one point was over two seconds. However, on lap 11 his run came to an end when his rear wheels locked up and he spun off onto the grass. If he had time to look into his wing mirrors he would have seen the eventual winner, Matt, having to fend off the likes of Ross Curnow and Stian Sørlie. On several occasions during the race he would have seen them side by side, but at the end of the 15 laps it was the 2004 Rookie Cup winner, Ross, who claimed second.
Race two got off to a difficult start when Jonathan Legris hit the pit wall as the cars left the grid. Nathan got the best possible start from pole, but a lead of nearly two seconds over Ross came to nothing when the red flag came out after Joe Osborne (Nexa Racing) and Paul Rees (Team SWR Pioneer) collided at the start of lap four. Joe literally flew and then the car rolled. Testimony to the strength of the car and the safety features was that he was totally unhurt and neither the chassis nor the engine were damaged. When the race was re-started Nathan got away first again, but this time it was Richard behind him and they stayed that way to the end. The battle behind was amazing with third being hotly contested by up to six cars. Sam finally won the battle and then Matt grabbed fourth on the final lap from Ross. While Euan had an easy Rookie class race, Michael went off several times but still held on to second.
Results - Round 1 - 15 Laps = 29.35 miles.
1 Matt Howson (GBR) (Filsell Motorsport) 18:04.143
2 Ross Curnow (GBR) (Promatecme/Soper Sport) 18:06.472
3 Stian Sørlie (NOR) (Fortec Motorsport) 18:07.008
4 Sam Bird (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 18:07.731
5 Richard Keen (GBR) (Team SWR Pioneer) 18:10.833
6 Dean Smith (GBR) (Nexa Racing) 18:12.533
7 Michael Meadows (GBR) (Master Motorsport) R 18:21.692
8 Ry Leon (GBR) (Pegasus Motorsport Int) 18:26.331
9 Lars Viljoen (GBR) (Team SWR Pioneer) 18:26.926
10 Euan Hankey (GBR) (Barwell Motorsport) R 18:27.359
11 Callum MacLeod (GBR) Filsell Motorsport) 18:33.468
12 Jordan Wise (GBR) (Nexa Racing) 18:35.337
13 Aaron Steele (GBR) (Mark Burdett Motorsport) R 18:40.546
14 Edward Hoy (GBR) (Mark Burdett Motorsport) R 18:42.224
15 Joe Osborne (GBR) (Nexa Racing) R 18:42.846
16 Paul Rees (GBR) (Team SWR Pioneer) 18:43.034
17 Niall Breen (GBR) (Barwell Motorsport) 19:04.243
Not classified
Jonathan Legris (GBR) (Pegasus Motorsport Int) R 14 laps
Nathan Antunes (AUS) (Motaworld Racing) 11 laps
Chris Holmes (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 11 laps
Matt Harris (GBR) (Team SWR Pioneer) 4 laps
Simon Walker-Hansell (GBR) (Carlin Motorsport) 3 laps
Duarte Felix da Costa (POR) (Carlin Motorsport) 1 lap
Fastest Lap
Stian Sorlie (Fortec Motorsport) 1m 11.019s, 99.21 mph, 159.67 kph
Pole Position - Nathan Antunes (Motaworld Racing) 1m 10.538s
Results - Round 2 - 10 laps = 19.57 miles.
1 Nathan Antunes (AUS) (Motaworld Racing) 12:10.826
2 Richard Keen (GBR) (Team SWR Pioneer) 12:11.137
3 Sam Bird (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 12:16.371
4 Matt Howson (GBR) (Filsell Motorsport) 12:17.135
5 Ross Curnow (GBR) (Promatecme/Soper Sport) 12:17.491
6 Dean Smith (GBR) (Nexa Racing) 12:17.721
7 Matt Harris (GBR) (Team SWR Pioneer) 12:19.511
8 Euan Hankey (GBR) (Barwell Motorsport) R 12:20.066
9 Simon Walker-Hansell (GBR) (Carlin Motorsport) 12:26.304
10 Callum MacLeod (GBR) Filsell Motorsport) 12:26.739
11 Jordan Wise (GBR) (Nexa Racing) 12:27.396
12 Niall Breen (GBR) (Barwell Motorsport) 12:33.964
13 Lars Viljoen (GBR) (Team SWR Pioneer) 12:43.454
14 Chris Holmes (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 12:49.793
15 Michael Meadows (GBR) (Master Motorsport) R 12:56.151
16 Aaron Steele (GBR) (Mark Burdett Motorsport) R 9 laps
Not classified
Stian Sørlie (NOR) (Fortec Motorsport) 7 laps
Edward Hoy (GBR) (Mark Burdett Motorsport) R 7 laps
Ry Leon (GBR) (Pegasus Motorsport Int) 5 laps
Duarte Felix da Costa (POR) (Carlin Motorsport) 3 laps
Joe Osborne (GBR) (Nexa Racing) R 0 laps
Jonathan Legris (GBR) (Pegasus Motorsport Int) R 0 laps
Paul Rees (GBR) (Team SWR Pioneer) 0 laps
Fastest Lap
Dean Smith (Nexa Racing) 1m 11.714s, 98.25 mph, 158.12 kph
Pole Position - Nathan Antunes (Motaworld Racing) 1m 10.783s
R indicates driver eligible for Rookie Cup
Championship Points Tables Drivers
1. Howson (1 win) 30, 2=. Curnow and Keen 23, 4. Bird 22, 5. Antunes (1 win)
20, 6=. Smith and Sorlie 12, 8=.Harris, Meadows and Hankey 4, 11. Leon 3, 12.
Viljoen and Walker Hansell 2, 14. MacLeod 1.
Rookies
1=. Meadows (1 win) and Hankey (1 win) 35, 3. Steele 24, 4. Hoy 10, 5. Osborne 8.Teams 1. Fortec Motorsport 35, 2. Filsell Motorsport 30, 3. Team SWR Pioneer 29, 4.Promatecme/Soper Sport 23, 5. Motaworld Racing 20, 6. Nexa Racing 12, 7=.Master Motorsport and Barwell Motorsport 4, 9. Pegasus MotorsportInternational 3, 10. Carlin Motorsport 2.
Background:
Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level class in Formula racing. In 2005 the series will be held in Germany, Britain, Asia and the USA. Up-and-coming drivers as young as 15-years-old are given the opportunity of entering motor racing with the high-tech, standard FB2 race car.
This racing car has been seen on the grid since 2002 and has set standards particularly on the safety technology front. A single-seater propelled by a 140 bhp BMW engine up to 230km/h, it exceeds by far the safety requirements for its class. BMW Motorsport has developed the FORS Formula Rescue Race Seat especially for Formula BMW. The HANS safety system is also mandatory.
In 2005, Formula BMW will be staged five times as part of the Formula One Support programme. All the series offer a multifaceted Education and Coaching Programme as well as sponsorship for promising racing talents. The best-known alumni of this talent hothouse are Formula One drivers Ralf Schumacher and Christian Klien. BMW Motorsport Director, Mario Theissen: "Formula BMW offers talented young drivers more than just a car. In the Education and Coaching Programme we have designed specially for them, they learn everything they need to know to hold their own in the big wide world of motor racing. Formula BMW has shot out of the blocks to become the top entry-level class for Formula racing worldwide."
In December 2005 the Bahrain International Circuit will host the first Formula BMW World Final. Young racing drivers from the four regional Formula BMW series will compete against each other. The winner will get the chance to drive some laps at the wheel of the BMW WilliamsF1 Team car.
-BMW-
