BMW Junior - Chris Wootton joins Eurasia Motorsport 01.03.2009: Australia’s Formula BMW Junior – Chris Wootton – will this week join his new team for official testing at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia, having signed with Eurasia Motorsport for the 2009 Formula BMW Pacific season.

Australia’s Formula BMW Junior – Chris Wootton – will this week join his new team for official testing at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia, having signed with Eurasia Motorsport for the 2009 Formula BMW Pacific season.

Eurasia is the only Asian team to have had a partnership with a Formula 1 team, being known as Team Minardi Asia in 2004-2005 and currently has a technical partnership with Raikkonen-Robertson Racing – part-owned by former World Champion, Kimi Raikkonen.

Eurasia Motorsport Principal – Mark Goddard – is an experienced racecar engineer, having run the most successful Asian Formula 3 team in the history of the Championship – Team Goddard – and will run an outfit for Japanese driver, Sho Hanawa, in Australian F3 this year.

Alongside Mark in the ownership of Eurasia Motorsport is Piers Hunnisett – who manages former F1 star and A1 Team India driver, Narain Karthikeyan and Martin Quick – who’s had a long history with international touring and sports car racing, including engineering the race winning car in the Sepang 12-hour several times.

The team has shown over the years its ability to harness the talent of young drivers and propel them onto the International stage. Aside from Karthikeyan, other drivers to have Eurasia guidance include former F1 pilot, Nicolas Kiesa, A1GP regular Ananda Mikola, Australian – Daniel Ricciardo and current  A1 Team Malaysia Rookie, Aaron Lim.

Chris will be engineered by Greg Wheeler – a contemporary of Red Bull Racing’s Adrian Newey from his time at Williams Grand Prix Engineering.

Whilst familiar with the 230kph FB02 he will pilot in this year’s Formula BMW Pacific Series, Chris’s main goal for this first test is to learn the team and their expectations, whilst acclimatising to the extreme heat and humidity he will experience at Sepang for the opening round.

Chris is naturally excited to be under the tutelage of a team that is so experienced in world motorsport.

Both Goddard and Wootton are determined that 2009 will deliver them the Formula BMW Pacific Series win and will be the launchpad of greater things to come.

BEHIND THE PIT WALL – MARK GODDARD:

"The whole team is very excited that Chris is joining us,” Mark said. “He demonstrated last year that he possesses the talent and determination to win and with a season's experience under his belt we are confident that we will be a true championship contender this year.

“Historically, drivers who have done well in their first year have gone on to do very well in their second year in a series and I am confident Chris will follow that trend.”

BEHIND THE HELMET – CHRIS WOOTTON:

“This week is going to be like the first day back at school,” Chris laughed. “We know the guys from Eurasia from being at the Formula BMW Pacific events last year, but working with them and being part of their team is different to saying hello in the paddock.

“Our concentration this week is on learning how each other works and getting things in place so we’re right on the pace at round one. Our next test in a couple of week’s time will concentrate on bringing me into ‘race mode’ before the opening event, much like a swimmer ‘tapers’ before a big international meet.

 “I’m really excited about the prospect of joining a team as experienced as Eurasia Motorsport and I’m confident our partnership will yield what we’re looking for – and that’s the Series win.”

 
WHAT IS FORMULA BMW?

Formula BMW is the world’s leading entry level Series in open-wheel Formula racing.

The Formula BMW FB02 weighs 465kg excluding driver. It is powered by a 1.2 litre four cylinder engine which accelerates to 100kph in less than four seconds and will hit a top speed of 230kph.

All cars are identical and innovations such as the FORS (Formula Rescue Seat) were developed by BMW Motorsport specifically for Formula BMW.

The Formula BMW Championship is conducted in three territories – the United States (Formula BMW Americas), with Formula 1 Grands Prix in Europe (Formula BMW Europe) and the Formula BMW Pacific Series in pan-Asia.
 

WHO IS CHRIS WOOTTON?

Chris is a 20-year-old race driver from the Brisbane suburb of Birkdale. He started karting competition in 2005 and quickly showed potential – taking out Rookie of the Year honours in two classes.

At the end of 2007, Chris underwent the Formula BMW Scholarship program. He impressed the judges with not only his ability behind the wheel, but approach to the sport and fitness. He was then offered a scholarship for the 2008 Formula BMW Pacific Series.

Finishing as the second highest Rookie in the Series and seventh overall, being offered a scholarship for the second year in succession is testament to his dedication.

Aside from motorsport, Chris takes a strong interest in a majority of sports. Taking cues from his mentor – Mark Webber – he concentrates on being one of the fittest drivers around, becoming a regular in the Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge. In the two Challenges he has completed, he finished in front of many well-known sportsmen and adventure racers.

Chris will chase the 2009 Formula BMW Pacific Series victory with Eurasia Motorsport.

 

- Matt Payne- also logos