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Juncadella gets the champagne treatment - twice

Daniel Juncadella (Eurointernational) climbed to the top step of the Formula BMW Europe podium twice this weekend at the Hungaroring. On Saturday the 17-year-old Spaniard celebrated victory ahead of Marco Wittmann (Josef Kaufmann Racing) and Kevin Breysse (DAMS Team). And on Sunday he clinched the race win from Esteban Gutierrez (Josef Kaufmann Racing) in second place and Wittmann in third.

On both occasions Juncadella started from pole position. The tenth round of the season ran smoothly and as far as possible the drivers managed to avoid unnecessary collisions. Among the prominent observers on the pit wall were BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, BMW Board Member Ian Robertson and Toro Rosso boss Gerhard Berger.

After 10 of the season’s 16 rounds, a leading group of four drivers now dominate the overall standings in Formula BMW Europe. Gutierrez leads the way with six wins and 250 points ahead of Juncadella with two wins and 200 points. Then comes Adrien Tambay (Eifelland Racing) with two wins and 198 points and Wittmann with six podium places and 194 points. In the rookie standings Danish driver Michael Christensen (DK/Double R Racing) has now taken over the lead held by David Mengesdorf (DE/Mücke Motorsport) going into the weekend. Driving for the British Raikkonen Robertson Racing team, Christensen now has 94 points and, like the German Mengesdorf (87 points), is one of the drivers supported by BMW.

Rounds 11 and 12 of Formula BMW Europe will take place in three weeks’ time (22nd-24th August) as part of the support programme for the F1 Grand Prix of Europe on the street circuit in Valencia.

1st place Daniel Juncadella (ES/Eurointernational):
“It has been a perfect weekend for me with two poles and two wins. However, they were not easy races. In the second race I had a lead of 1.5 seconds over the field after six laps, but then I saw on my pit board that Esteban was really going for it. That sent my pulse rate up, but I kept my concentration through to the finish. After my second places at Barcelona and Zolder I discovered in Budapest that the winner gets a real champagne soaking from the other guys. You can’t imagine how much it stings your eyes.”

2nd place Esteban Gutierrez (MX/Josef Kaufmann Racing):
“I learnt a lot this weekend. The racing accident I had with Adrien on Saturday meant I didn’t get any points and had to make sure I was well prepared mentally for the next race. It worked out; I managed to finish second and know that many drivers would have gladly been in my place on the podium. It’s therefore not only wins that represent success for me. It is these kinds of experiences that take you forward.”

First victory in Formula BMW Europe for Juncadella

A sizzling battle at the Hungaroring ended in triumph for Daniel Juncadella (Eurointernational). Starting from pole position, the Spaniard overcame temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius and stifling humidity to take the ninth round of Formula BMW Europe ahead of the German driver Marco Wittmann (Josef Kaufmann Racing) and Frenchman Kevin Breysse (DAMS Team).

The 17-year-old's victory broke the run of six successive race wins recorded by Esteban Gutierrez (Josef Kaufmann Racing). The leading rookie was Michael Christensen (Double R Racing), who crossed the line in fifth place. The top eight places in the race were filled by eight different teams.

The twisty circuit outside Budapest proved to be an unhappy hunting ground for Gutierrez - the leader of the overall standings - and second-placed man Adrien Tambay (Eifelland Racing). The two rivals collided as Gutierrez attempted to wrest second position from Tambay. The coming together left Gutierrez' damaged FB02 limping back to the pits and Tambay's car blocking the circuit, which brought out the Safety Car. The battle for the lead hotted up again on lap nine, as Wittmann launched an attack on race leader Juncadella. However, the Spaniard held his ground and hung on to clinch his maiden victory in Formula BMW Europe.

Fresh from doing the honours at the podium ceremony, BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Nick Heidfeld said: "I though the race was really exciting. There was a lot happening on the track, which isn't typical of Hungary as there are not many overtaking opportunities." The result closes things up at the top of the overall standings. Gutierrez leads the way on 226 points after nine of the season's 16 rounds, ahead of Tambay (180), Wittmann (174) and Juncadella (169). Round 10 takes place on Sunday (9.15-9.45 hrs).

1st place Daniel Juncadella (ES/Eurointernational):
"I won't forget the podium ceremony in a hurry! When we stepped down from the podium we found that the door had locked shut and we couldn't get out. I wanted to enjoy my maiden victory, of course, but not locked out on the podium. Luckily, somebody arrived fairly quickly to let us out. I had a good race. I got away well from the start line and had good pace over the first few laps. Then I saw the Safety Car and thought 'oh no'. I was able to stay ahead from the restart, but Marco was putting me under some serious pressure. There was a lot of dirt on the track and I made a small error that almost cost me the lead. Marco tried to attack but played it fair, which was good as otherwise we would both have been off."

2nd place Marco Wittmann (DE/Josef Kaufmann Racing):
"I didn't get a very good start and lost two places off the line. After the Safety Car phase I was lying behind Daniel. I tried to put him under pressure and three laps from the finish he made a small mistake. However, it was too risky to try an overtaking move in that situation. I was thinking of how important the points were to close the gap on Esteban and Adrien in the overall standings."

3rd place Kevin Breysse (FR/DAMS Team):
"I was able to improve from eighth position on the grid to fifth right from the start. I had good pace and was lining up Marco for an overtaking manoeuvre, but it wasn't possible because of the yellow flags. The incident between Adrien and Esteban suddenly pushed me up to third place, which was great. The race was really good, but tough at the same time. This is my first year in Formula BMW, whereas regular podium candidates like Esteban, Adrien and Marco are all in their second year in the series. That makes me even happier about my performance."

Juncadella doubles up on pole

Qualifying for rounds 9 and 10 of Formula BMW Europe saw Daniel Juncadella (Eurointernational) come away with the two fastest laps at the Hungaroring.

Juncadella will therefore start from pole position for the third and fourth times this season in the races on Saturday (17.30-18.00 hrs) and Sunday after similar success at Zolder. Alongside the 17-year-old Spaniard on the front row will be Marco Wittmann (Josef Kaufmann Racing). Behind the lead pair in third and fourth positions on the grid are Esteban Gutierrez (Josef Kaufmann Racing) and rookie Facundo Regalia (Eurointernational).

In temperatures hitting a sizzling 30 degrees Celsius at the Hungaroring circuit 19 kilometres outside Budapest, Juncadellas’ second-fastest lap was also good enough to earn him pole for the second race of the weekend. Juncadella will line up ahead of Wittmann and Gutierrez once again for round 10 of the season on Sunday (9.15-9.45 hrs).

Rounds 9 + 10. Polesetter: Daniel Juncadella (ES/Eurointernational).
"Pole position is particularly useful on this circuit, as overtaking during the race is very tricky. The temperature during qualifying certainly made it tough out there. Coming from Spain, I’m used to the heat, but here you also have a high level of humidity to deal with. The sweat was really pouring down my face while I was driving. However, I’d taken on a lot of liquid before I went out and was feeling in good shape as a result. I’m proud of the performance of my team Eurointernational, and it’s great, of course, to see Facundo as the leading rookie in fourth place.”

Rounds 9 + 10. 2nd on the grid: Marco Wittmann (DE/Josef Kaufmann Racing).
"It goes without saying that I’d always prefer to be on pole, but starting both races on the front row isn’t bad either. I managed to keep Esteban and Adrien - my closest rivals in the overall standings - behind me in qualifying, and hopefully I’ll be able to do the same in the race. It’s about time I made it onto the top step of the podium.”

Round 9 Best rookie: Facundo Regalia (ES/Eurointernational).
"For me as a rookie this is a fantastic result. Testing here had gone well and I came to Hungary full of confidence. I knew that it would be hot, so I did a lot of fitness work in preparation. Two hours in the gym, plus some tennis and football has certainly paid dividends. I’ve been on school summer holidays since Hockenheim, so haven’t had to combine school and racing for the last couple of weeks."

Formula BMW Americas travels to Road America

Road America, North America’s fastest permanent road course, will host Rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the 2008 Formula BMW Americas championship. Located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Road America’s 4.048 miles will challenge the young Formula BMW drivers in every one of its 14 turns.

Formula BMW has visited the circuit twice before, in 2004 and 2007. In 2004, James Hinchcliffe scored his very first Formula BMW win at Road America. He continued on to win the inaugural Formula BMW USA Rookie Championship and, in 2008, leads the Atlantic Championship. Last season, Alexander Rossi scored a win by a scant .004 seconds over Esteban Gutierrez. This year, Rossi leads Formula BMW Americas overall while Gutierrez leads the Formula BMW Europe Series.

Rossi said, “The series test at Putnam Park this week was extremely successful. The Eurointernational crew is so squared away and organized. They once again delivered a perfect car that enabled me to set a new course record for Formula BMW at Putnam. This is another boost of confidence for me and the team heading to Road America next week. Road America is one of my favorite circuits and having won there in Formula BMW last season I will work hard for a repeat and extend my lead in the championship.”

Rossi has won four of the last five Formula BMW Americas races and leads Ricardo Favoretto by 19 points. Brazilian Favoretto, a Formula BMW Junior, who also has experience at Road America, switched teams following the Lime Rock Park Rounds. He will now race for Autotecnica, joining fellow Formula BMW Junior Gianmarco Raimondo. Raimondo stands third overall and leads the Rookie point standings.

Brazilian Giancarlo Vilarinho (Eurointernational) stands second in Rookie points and Formula BMW Junior Mikael Grenier (Apex-HBR Racing Team), is third.

Autotecnica will race a third FB02 at Road America for Gabby Chaves. Chaves, of Colombia, is a regular driver in the Formula BMW Pacific Series where he stands seventh overall.

Second half of the season starts in Hungary

Formula BMW Europe will be staging the ninth and tenth rounds of the season this coming weekend (1-3 August) against the backdrop of the Formula One Grand Prix in Budapest/Hungary. Dominating the junior series at present is Mexican driver Esteban Gutierrez (Josef Kaufmann Racing), who has collected 226 points after eight out of 16 rounds to secure a commanding lead in the overall rankings.

“My ultimate goal is the title,” says the 16-year-old with confidence. He aims to expand his string of victories on the Hungaroring.

The race track is located in a valley 19 kilometres from the centre of Budapest. With soaring summer temperatures anticipated, the Hungaroring will prove a real challenge for the junior racing drivers. There are 14 corners in quick succession to be negotiated, and the young contestants will barely have a chance to catch their breath as the straights are very short. There are only a few overtaking opportunities on this tricky 4.381-kilometre circuit. Only the start-finish straight offers a realistic chance of getting past another driver – which means a good starting position on the grid is a crucial factor in winning.

The two rounds in Budapest mark the start of the second half of the Formula BMW Europe season. Second-placed Adrien Tambay (Eifelland Racing, 180 points) initially took the lead after the first race weekend in Barcelona, claiming two wins and two pole positions. Towards the halfway mark, however, Gutierrez’s strengths increasingly came to the fore. He has recently consolidated his ascendancy with six consecutive wins at the events in Zolder, Silverstone and Hockenheim. German driver Marco Wittmann (Josef Kaufmann Racing) has been steadily picking up points and currently lies third in the overall rankings (150 points).

While Gutierrez and Tambay have shared all the wins between them up to now, performance in qualifying has been somewhat more balanced: Spaniard Daniel Juncadella (Eurointernational) made his mark in Zolder with two pole positions, his compatriot Ramon Pineiro (Fortec Motorsport) had two starts from the front row of the grid in Silverstone, while qualifying in Hockenheim was monopolised by the eventual winner Esteban Gutierrez.

Ricardo Favoretto Joins with Team Autotecnica to Conclude his Formula BMW Americas Season Positively

Team Autotecnica welcomes Formula BMW Junior Ricardo Favoretto (19, Sao Paulo, Brazil) to the team for the second half of the Formula BMW Americas racing season. Ricardo will be joining the team’s existing Formula BMW Junior, Gianmarco Raimondo (17, St. Catharines, ON, Canada,) as his permanent team mate. With the addition of Ricardo to its driver roster, Team Autotecnica has strengthened its bids for both the overall and Rookie championships.

Raimondo, a rookie driver, winner of the opening two rounds in California currently is 3rd in the overall points standings and has a firm hold of 1st place in the Rookie standings. Favoretto, in his second year of FBMW, is currently 2nd in the overall points standings. Both drivers are within striking distance of the points leader and will be working together to close the points gap with eight races remaining over three weekends.

Team Autotecnica has just concluded a two day test at their local Shannonville circuit to allow for additional development time for both its drivers while providing some transition time for Favoretto to adapt to his new car. Track conditions were favourable for day one but rain hampered progress on day two yet provided an opportunity to work on the team’s wet setup.

Favoretto commented, “I’m very happy to have found a new seat with Team Autotecnica for the rest of the season. I already feel more comfortable. It took me a day to work out the differences with the car but I think that I can be much more consistent now. I am looking forward to working with Gianmarco because he has been very quick all season and has put pressure on me a few times. Now we are team mates and we can learn from each other.”

Raimondo’s feelings are complementary; ”I’ve learned a lot in my Rookie season and was able to apply it quickly for some great results in the first eight races. It hasn’t been easy to be competitive without a proper team mate but now things have changed and with Ricardo’s data and feedback, we can both expect to be even faster.”

Team Autotecnica’s Manager, Enrico Diano, adds: “We’ve been working to add more drivers to the team for quite some time. Now that we have Ricardo, we will have twice the data and feedback to analyse and consider. This will allow us to make even better decisions on setup, driver technique, and race strategy. Our relationship with Ricardo is not a new one and we’ve always remained as friends since he first tested with us at the end 2006. We were never able to conclude arrangements to have him race with the team until now. We will continue to work hard for both our drivers to have equal opportunities to win the championship.”

Autotecnica will also have guest drivers running in its third car for the remainder of the season with more news on who it will be to follow shortly.

25 Young Drivers Entered for 2009 Formula BMW Americas Licensing Courses

Formula BMW Americas welcomes 25 young drivers as they prepare for the upcoming July 28-29 and August 4-5 2009 Licensing Courses. Held at the Formula BMW Racing Center at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, in Valencia, Spain, the Licensing Course is the first step of the worldwide Formula BMW program. Following two days of intensive instruction by the Formula BMW Racing Center staff, successful drivers will receive their international Class C license and, possibly, a chance to be invited back to compete in the September 29-30 Scholarship Qualifying to compete for a 2009 Formula BMW Junior scholarship.

This year, Formula BMW Americas awarded $80,000 scholarships and automatic enrollment in Formula BMW’s Education and Coaching program to Canadians Gianmarco Raimondo and Mikael Grenier, and Brazilian Alexandre Ruiz. They currently stand first, third and fourth in the Rookie point standings respectively.

Proving the global reach of Formula BMW, the 25 young drivers represent the most diverse group ever entered for the licensing courses in the five-year history of the Formula BMW Americas Championship. This year drivers from Australia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Jamaica, South Africa, Venezuela, as well as Brazil, Canada and the United States will attend.

Among the talented participants is Daniel Vela, of the Dominican Republic, winner of the Florida Winter Tour promotion in January. Also attending is Spencer Pigot, of Windermere Florida, who took advantage of Formula BMW Americas’ unique Stars of Karting Recruitment Day and got behind the wheel of an FB02 at Miller Motorsports Park in April.

Mid-season update:

With the completion of Rounds 8 and 9 at Lime Rock Park on July 12th, the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Championship has passed the mid-season mark. Alexander Rossi leads the Overall standings by 19 points over Formula BMW Junior Ricardo Favoretto. Gianmarco Raimondo, also a Formula BMW Junior, stands third and leads the Rookie standings. Rossi has scored four wins, Favoretto one, and Raimondo two. One more win was scored by Daniel Juncadella, a guest driver form the Formula BMW Europe series, in Round 8. Round 7 was cancelled.

With strong performances in the last three races, that include two podium finishes, Brazilian Giancarlo Vilarinho has moved to second in Rookie points. He is followed by Grenier and Ruiz. Ostella rounds out the top five in the Rookie standings.

Eurointernational teammates Rossi and Favoretto have kept the Indianapolis-based Formula BMW powerhouse at the top of the Team standings. Eurointernational won the Team title in both 2006 and 2007 while running Robert Wickens and Daniel Morad to the Driver Championships.

The Championship will hold two official test days at the 1.8-mile Putnam Park Road Course, in Mount Meridian, Indiana on July 29 – 30 before Rounds 10, 11 and 12 at Road America, in Elkhart, Wis., on August 7 - 10.

Serial winner Gutierrez tops the podium six consecutive times

There's no end to Mexican driver Esteban Gutierrez's winning streak in Formula BMW Europe. At the Hockenheimring the 16-year-old from Monterrey took his sixth race win in a row in this successful junior race series. After eight out of 16 rounds, he now has a tally of 226 points, followed by Adrien Tambay (180) and Marco Wittmann (150).

"Two poles, two fastest race laps and two wins - the perfect weekend," said Gutierrez. "Although I have now won six times in a row, I just try to think from one race to the next. I push aside any thoughts of overall victory at the end of the season. During the race I really got into my rhythm and just kept pushing."

Gutierrez relegated Eifelland driver Tambay and his team-mate Wittmann to second and third places in both races.

The terraces were well occupied as the junior drivers contested their race on Sunday as part of the Hockenheim Formula One Grand Prix support programme. Polesetter Gutierrez managed to stretch the gap to his rivals lap for lap. Tambay, son of the former F1 driver Patrick Tambay, was behind him, followed by Daniel Juncadella (ES/Eurointernational).

Juncadella from Spain paid for a minor mistake on lap nine when Wittmann got past him and, despite a close battle all the way to the close, managed to secure the remaining podium place.

The next stop for Formula BMW Europe is the Hungarian Grand Prix from 1 to 3 August 2008.

Jamison takes faultless victory

Formula BMW Pacific points leader Ross Jamison (18/HKG/Meritus) put in a faultless performance to take Round 11, holding off determined Formula BMW Junior Chris Wootton (19/AUS/Meritus) for much of the race, to take victory from pole. Second was Team E-Rain's Sean McDonagh, who had started from 4th on the grid, with winner of Round 10, Melvin Moh (20/MAS/Team Holzer PFX) taking the final podium place.

At the end of the Indonesian weekend, Jamison has a 22 point lead over McDonagh in the Driver Classification, with Simon Moss (17/RSA/Mahara) 3rd. Moss, who took the Rookie Cup race win, now has a 25 point lead over fellow BMW Junior Wootton.

Said Jamison after his victory: "It was a lights-to-flag victory, but it wasn't easy. Sean has been quick this weekend. My engine cover was loose which gave me extra drag on the straights. I was under pressure from Sean, but I kept my head down and tried to be consistent."

McDonagh was pleased with his points haul from the weekend: "I had a decent start but no chance to overtake at the first corner, so had to wait and see. I lost some time in the first few laps coming through the field, and the result could have been better if I'd been able to start challenging Ross earlier. It's good to have a win and a podium here, but more important are the championship points I collected."

Malaysia's Moh learned that listening to his team pays off: "When I looked in the mirror I could feel the pressure from behind. The team saw my head moving and called me in the radio to tell me to stop looking! I tried to follow those instructions and keep my head down, and managed to finish on the podium."

Jamison got away well, with McDonagh getting by Moh to go 3rd behind Wootton. Arvin Roslan (18/MAS/Meritus) was a man on a mission, up to 5th by the end of the second lap, with Moss, who started from the back of the grid having crashed out of yesterday's second race, up to 7th. The South African had climbed to 6th by the end of the 3rd lap.

McDonagh continued to pile on the pressure to Wootton and made his move on lap 6 to seize 2nd place, with Moss still climbing and up to 5th by the end of that lap. Moh had closed in on Wootton and was right on the Australian's tail, diving on the inside and then outside desperate to claim a podium finish. The pair were wheel-to-wheel on lap 11 with the Malaysian finally getting by. Wootton came out of the battle for position worse, spinning into the gravel. He manfully kept the car going and managed to finish the race.

With the drama behind them, Jamison and McDonagh had pulled away but the American was unable to catch his Hong Kong rival by the flag. Moh held off a frustrated Moss to claim his 3rd place finish.

Moh's Team Holzer PFX team mate Dominic Ang (18/MAS) was unable to take the start after damaging his car in Round 10, while Team E-Rainâ€˜s Ryuichi Nara (19/JPN) completed just a few shakedown laps after extensive repairs to his car following yesterday's incident.

Formula BMW Pacific next travels to Singapore for the inaugural Formula One SingTel Singapore Grand Prix on September 27-28, where the drivers will be amongst the first to experience the exciting new Marina Bay street circuit.

Round 11 Results

Pos. No. Driver/Nat. Entrant Time
1 88 Ross JAMISON (HKG) Meritus 23:35.587
2 22 Sean MCDONAGH (KOR) Team E-Rain +0.692
3 8 Melvin MOH (MAS) Team Holzer PFX +4.855
4 38 Simon MOSS*- (RSA) Mahara +5.468
5 7 Imran SHAHAROM (MAS) Team Holzer PFX +17.859
6 78 Arvin ROSLAN- (MAS) Meritus +21.403
7 2 Marlon STÖCKINGER*- (PHI) Eurasia Motorsport +22.297
8 53 Gabriel CHAVES (COL) Atlantic Racing Team +22.683
9 58 Huzair HARUN RASIP (MAL) Mahara +28.784
10 3 Aditya PATEL- (IND) Eurasia Motorsport +40.856
11 68 Chris WOOTTON*- (AUS) Meritus 1 Lap
DNF 34 Ryuichi NARA (JPN) Team E-Rain -
DNS 9 Dominic ANG- (MAS) Team Holzer PFX -

*Scholarship driver
-Rookie Cup
#Non-Series Registered

Pole Position: Ross Jamison/HKG/Meritus
Fastest Lap: Simon Moss/RSA/Mahara/01:1:33.618

Triumphant first victory for Moh and Team Holzer PFX

Malaysian Melvin Moh (20) took a triumphant maiden victory in Round 10 of Formula BMW Pacific at Indonesia’s Sentul International Circuit today, the first win for his Team Holzer PFX. Moh also becomes the first graduate of the Petronas Formula Xperience (PFX) driver training academy, established to develop young Malaysian racers, to win a Formula BMW Pacific race. Second was Formula BMW Junior Simon Moss (RSA/Mahara), who turns 17 today, followed by fellow Junior Chris Wootton (19/AUS/Meritus).

In the Driver Classification, Ross Jamison (18/HKG/Meritus) maintains his position at the top, 16 points clear of nearest rival Sean McDonagh (18/USA/Team E-Rain), while Moss moves up to 3rd. In the Rookie Cup standings, Moss has a 15 point lead from Wootton. Moh’s win puts him 5th overall.

Said Moh: “I’ve been waiting for this win for some time! The results weren’t there last season, but this year I took a podium finish at Sepang (Malaysia), but then had a run of bad luck resulting in some DNFs. This weekend I just knew I would do well. I’d like to thank my team and Petronas as I wouldn’t be racing without them.”

Moss, who had started both of yesterday’s racings from the back of the grid after a brake pump problem in qualifying, was thrilled to have taken a podium finish: “This is a great birthday present! I could have been better if I’d had a better grid position.” Moss also set the fastest lap of the race.

Pole sitter McDonagh got away cleanly, but championship-leader Jamison was on a charge, and the pair were two abreast into the first turn. The battle ended in tears right there with the pair coming together. McDonagh’s stationary car brought out the safety car, but Jamison managed to continue, crossing the line 9th and picking up those all-important points.

Wootton was leading the field when the safety car came out followed by Moh, who had charged through the melee to go from 4th to 2nd, and Colombian youngster Gabby Chaves (Atlantic Racing Team). Racing resumed at the start of Lap 5 of the 15-Lap race, and Wootton went about trying to pull out a gap at the front, but Moh could taste victory and closed in to grab the lead on Lap 6.

The Malaysian had the two hard-charging Formula BMW Juniors on his tail for the next two laps until Moss made his move on Wootton to go 2nd. It was now down to Moss to reel in Moh, and he did his best to pile on the pressure. The Team Holzer PFX racer refused to be rattled and had pulled a gap of more than 1.5 seconds by the flag.

Meanwhile, Formula BMW Junior Marlon Stöckinger (17/PHI/Eurasia Motorsport) in 7th had been desperately looking for a way past Aditya Patel (19/IND), and successfully made his move on the penultimate lap.

Ryuichi Nara (19/JPN/Team E-Rain) was unable to take the start after the damage caused in yesterday’s collision with Moss could not be repaired in time, but hopes to return for Round 11.

Round 10 Results

Pos. No. Driver/Nat. Entrant Time
1 8 Melvin MOH (MAS) Team Holzer PFX 25:13.296
2 38 Simon MOSS*• (RSA) Mahara +1.520
3 68 Chris WOOTTON*• (AUS) Meritus +5.860
4 53 Gabriel CHAVES (COL) Atlantic Racing Team +7.698
5 7 Imran SHAHAROM (MAS) Team Holzer PFX +8.821
6 2 Marlon STÖCKINGER*• (PHI) Eurasia Motorsport +11.602
7 3 Aditya PATEL• (IND) Eurasia Motorsport +13.262
8 58 Huzair HARUN RASIP (MAL) Mahara +24.467
9 88 Ross JAMISON (HKG) Meritus +29.499
10 78 Arvin ROSLAN• (MAS) Meritus +29.745
DNF 9 Dominic ANG• (MAS) Team Holzer PFX -
DNF 22 Sean MCDONAGH (KOR) Team E-Rain -
DNS 34 Ryuichi NARA (JPN) Team E-Rain -

*Scholarship driver
•Rookie Cup
#Non-Series Registered

Pole Position: Sean McDonagh/USA/Team E-Rain
Fastest Lap: Simon Moss/RSA/Mahara/01:33.343

Fifth win in a row for Gutierrez

The winner of the 7th race held on the support race programme of the Formula One Grand Prix in Hockenheim was Mexican Esteban Gutierrez.

It was his 5th consecutive win in Formula BMW Europe. His closest challenger for the lead in the overall rankings, Adrien Tambay, finished as runner-up. Completing the podium line-up was German driver Marco Wittmann from Markt Erlbach near Nuremberg. The three leaders in the rankings were thus able to consolidate their respective positions.

It was an exciting race, peppered with plenty of jostling for position - as well as a safety car phase. On the first race lap British driver Ollie Millroy was knocked out by a fellow contestant and rolled. Millroy was able to climb out of the vehicle uninjured. After the 28 drivers from 16 countries had been guided through the danger zone by the safety car for two
laps, they used the opportunity to realign their positions. The leaders - polesetter Gutierrez, Tambay and Wittmann - crossed the line in this sequence. Behind them, Jazeman Jaafar, Daniel Juncadella, Mihai Marinescu and Ramon Pineiro delighted the crowds with some impressive passing manoeuvres. Drawing the short straw here was Pineiro, whose car was hit by a rival on the final lap. The Spaniard had to abandon the race but was likewise uninjured.

The 8th race in Formula BMW Europe will take place on Sunday at 9.15-9.45 hrs.

1st place Esteban Gutierrez: "The conditions out on the track today really weren't easy. It was raining before the start, and then the sun came out. We were driving on slicks and there were still pools of water in some of the corners. I had to concentrate totally so as not to make any mistakes. On the podium today, my national anthem was played in full for the first time. As a Mexican, by tradition I always place my hand on my heart. I'm proud to be Mexican, especially when it comes to motorsport."

2nd place Adrien Tambay: "Right at the start of the race I managed to get past Juncadella. It was a pretty risky manoeuvre, but in the battle for the lead I have to take risks occasionally. Then I made a stupid mistake, which opened up the gap to Esteban. Halfway through the race I suddenly noticed some drops of rain on my visor. From then on I drove very carefully."

3rd place Marco Wittmann: "I got off to a good start and managed to gain a position. On the first lap I was fast and went on the attack, but then the safety car came out. I didn't get back into my stride straightaway. Of course a place on the podium is always great, but in the next race I'd quite like to be one or two steps higher up."

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