Oscar Tunjo takes maiden Formula BMW Pacific victory in Singapore

Colombian Oscar Tunjo (Meritus) scored his first Formula BMW Pacific Race victory in Round 12 in support of the 2010 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX today. Although Malaysia’s Calvin Wong (18/PETRONAS Mofaz Racing) took the chequered flag, he was subsequently handed a 30 second penalty for jumping the chicane. Guest driver Carlos Sainz Junior (ESP/16/Eurointernational) was second, with Drivers’ Classification and Rookie Cup leader Richard Bradley (SIN/19/Eurasia Motorsport) third.

Following a Stewards investigation after Round 11, Bradley was declared the winner after Daniil Kvyat (RUS/16/Eurointernational), who took the chequered flag, was penalized three seconds for causing a collision between the pair. Kvyat was also penalized five grid positions for the start of Round 12, and started the race from fifth on the grid. Bradley was penalized three grid positions for crowding in Round 11 and started Round 12 from fourth. Bradley now has a 55 point lead in the championship from Tunjo, now second.

The penalties gave Tunjo pole, and he got away cleanly, with Wong close behind and Formula BMW Pacific Junior Kotaro Sakurai (JPN/15/Eurasia Motorsport) in third. Wong then got by Tunjo to take the lead. Meanwhile, Kvyat had got off to a determined start overtaking Bradley then Sakurai to go third. By the end of the first lap, Kvyat and Tunjo were battling hard.

On Lap 3, Sakurai went wide, allowing Bradley to go through and reclaim fourth. Sainz Jr. moved up to fifth, and then into fourth, after Kvyat retired a lap later with an overheated engine. After Sainz Jr. got by Bradley on Lap 8, a fierce battle commenced between Tunjo and the Spaniard for second place. Although the two made contact, Tunjo was able to hold his position, and crossed the finish line just one-tenth of a second ahead of the Red Bull Junior.



Formula BMW Pacific Driver Quotes: Round 12, Marina Bay Circuit, Singapore.


Oscar Tunjo: “It was difficult to defend. Carlos and Richard were very close and I had to defend my line. He was faster than I was so it was hard. I came into the race not really worrying about Richard, but trying to get the maximum and win the race.”


Richard Bradley: “Today I was racing solely for the championship. I knew I needed to beat Oscar to clinch it, but I wanted to be conservative and not mess anything up. I just kept thinking about the championship.”



Carlos Sainz Jr.: “I didn’t have a very good qualifying, I messed it up and paid for it in both races. Today was a difficult race. I had a good start, but was pushed into the wall and lost some positions. I was in P9 but then lap by lap, I got up there. We were in third and I was trying to overtake Oscar… In the end, I’m happy because it was the maximum I could do.”

Jesse Dixon, top Formula BMW Pacific Junior, Round 12:

“Twelve places in one race on a circuit that’s difficult to pass on. I’m over the moon. I had a lot more confidence today and I could tell how much faster I was than some of the cars at the back so I didn’t have too much pressure to pass. I got a good start and made it past a few drivers and from there the car was good.”



Formula BMW Pacific points standings after Round 11.

Drivers

1.Richard Bradley (182); 2. Oscar Tunjo (127); 3. Jordan Oon (112); 4. Calvin Wong (86); 5. Nabil Jeffri (74); 6. James Birch (63); 7. Afiq Ikhwan (54); 8. S.H. Tom Mun (44); 9. Pasin Lathouras (42); 10. Kotaro Sakurai (41); 11. Dustin Sofyan (39); 12. Duvashen Padayachee (36); 13. Jesse Dixon (34); 14. Axcil Jefferies (18); 15. Chang Mun Shien (13); 16. Suriya Balakerisnan (5); 17. Yannick Mettler (4); 18. Amirrul Khirudin (3); 19. Natash Seatter (2).


Teams

1.Eurasia Motorsport (289); 2. Meritus (243); 3. E-Rain Racing (167); 4. PETRONAS Mofaz Racing Team (107); 5. Motaworld Racing (75); 6. Atlantic Racing Team (69); 7. IM Racing (31); 8. Asia Racing Team (18); 9. Mango Asia (8).



Formula BMW Pacific Round 12 – Results

Results – Round 12, Marina Bay Circuit, Singapore.


1 88 Oscar TUNJO (R) COL Meritus 24:35.385
2 12 Carlos SAINZ Jr. (G) ESP Eurointernational +0.136
3 69 Richard BRADLEY (R) SIN Eurasia Motorsport +0.398
4 7 Nabil JEFFRI (R) MAS Eurasia Motorsport +1.449
5 2 James BIRCH (R) GBR Motaworld Racing +11.574
6 78 Afiq IKHWAN (R) MAS Meritus +11.932
7 10 Jesse DIXON (S) (R) AUS Atlantic Racing Team +12.276
8 55 Kotaro SAKURAI (S) (R) PHI Eurasia Motorsport +15.347
9 38 Pasin LATHOURAS (R) THA Meritus +17.970
10 9 S.H. Tom MUN KOR E-Rain Racing +21.123
11 75 CHANG Mun Shien (R) MAS IM Racing +21.952
12 16 Calvin WONG MAS PETRONAS MofazRacing  +23.109
13 66 Jordan OON (S) (R) AUS E-Rain Racing +24.369
14 45 Duvashen PADAYACHEE (R) AUS Eurasia Motorsport +29.622
15 17 Ryan RITCHIE (R) MAS PETRONAS Mofaz Racing +32.208
16 19 Amirrul KHIRUDIN (R) MAS PETRONAS Mofaz Racing +34.198
17 8 Andrew KHRAPOV (G) RUS Meritus +34.669
18 18 Natasha SEATTER (R) MAS PETRONAS Mofaz Racing +51.613
19 26 Paul LAU (G) HKG Asia Racing Team +85.978
- 14 Dustin SOFYAN (G) INA Eurointernational DNF
- 4 Dylan YOUNG (R) AUS Motaworld Racing DNF
- 11 Daniil KVYAT (G) RUS Eurointernational DNF

(S) Scholarship driver, (R) Rookie Cup

Fastest Lap: Carlos Sainz J/2:24.356/126.514kph/Lap 6

- Nikki Kemp -