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  • FORMULA BMW USA - ROUND 13 - ROAD ATLANTA - RACE
    Created: Thursday, September 29, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Piscopo Takes his Third Win of the Season in Round 13 Braselton, Ga. - Sept. 29, 2005... 17-year old Italian Edoardo Piscopo (EuroInternational) continued to make the front of the Formula BMW USA field his second home, taking the Round 13 victory today at Road Atlanta, in Braselton, Ga. Starting from outside the front row, Piscopo passed polesitter Kevin Lacroix (AIM Autosport) on the second lap of the 13-lap contest to take the win by .328 seconds over Reed Stevens (HBR Motorsport Team USA). The win was Piscopo’s third in his last four starts and moves him to fifth in the Championship and Rookie point standings.Stevens drove a steady race from the fourth starting position, moving into third on lap three and second on lap five. Today’s finish was Steven’s fourth podium appearance of the season and consolidates his hold on the sixth position in the Championship standings.Finishing third was Australian James Davison (HBR Motorsport Team USA) after a fine drive from his ...
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  • FORMULA BMW USA - ROUND 14 - ROAD ATLANTA - RACE
    Created: Thursday, September 29, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Stevens Wins Round 14; Philippe Wins Championship Braselton, Ga. - Sept. 30, 2005... Reed Stevens (HBR Motorsport Team USA) saved his best for last to take his first win of the season in the final round of the 2005 Formula BMW USA Championship. The 20-year old BMW Junior driver, runner-up in yesterday's Round 13 race, led every lap of the 13-lap contest, finishing .374 seconds ahead of fellow Junior Richard Philippe (Team Autotecnica). Philippe, starting from his sixth pole position of the season, remained within striking distance of Stevens every lap, but the 15-year old knew his real race was with Kevin Lacroix (AIM Autosport) . Tied with Lacroix in Overall points and three points ahead in Rookie points, Philippe only had to finish ahead of Lacroix to take both the Overall and Rookie titles. Lacroix, forced to start at the rear of the 18-car field after failing post-qualifying technical inspection, charged to sixth, but ultimately had to settle for second in both Championships.Round ...
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  • FORMULA BMW USA - ROUND 13 - ROAD ATLANTA - QUALIFYING
    Created: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Lacroix Takes Round 13 Pole Braselton, Ga. - Sept. 28, 2005... Kevin Lacroix (AIM Autosport) scored his second pole position of the season in today's 30-minute qualifying session for Round 13 of the 2005 Formula BMW USA Championship. His time of 1:28.842 minutes around the 2.54-mile Road Atlanta circuit bested the field of 18, in which the top-13 qualified within one second of Lacroix's pole time. Lacroix trails point leader Richard Philippe by two points in the overall Championship heading into tomorrow's penultimate race of the season.Edoardo Piscopo (EuroInternational) scored the outside front row starting spot in the final minutes of the session with a lap of 1:28.973 minutes. Piscopo and Lacroix were the only two drivers in the 1:28 bracket.Overall and Rookie points leader Richard Philippe (Team Autotecnica) took the third starting position with a 1:29.015 minute lap. Separated by only .173 seconds, and Piscopo in the middle, the Philippe vs. Lacroix Round 13 battle is sure to be ...
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  • FORMULA BMW USA - ROUNDS 13 & 14 - ROAD ATLANTA - PREVIEW
    Created: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Woodcliff Lake, NJ - September 27, 2005... The decidedly difficult 2.54-miles of the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Georgia will set the stage for the final two rounds of the 2005 Formula BMW USA Championship and determine who will win the Overall and Rookie titles. Known for its challenging mixture of high and low speed corners, Road Atlanta also includes some of the largest elevation changes seen in North American road courses and rewards those drivers who are fast, smooth and patient. Three BMW Junior drivers have topped the Formula BMW USA field throughout the season and are in contention for both the Overall and Rookie Championships. Sharing eight wins in the previous 12 rounds of competition, Richard Philippe (Team Autotecnica), Kevin Lacroix (AIM Autosport) and Robert Wickens (Team Apex Racing USA) have the most to win - and lose - at Road Atlanta.Philippe, with five poles and three wins this season, stands two points ahead of Lacroix in Overall points and three ahead of Wic...
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  • FORMULA BMW USA AWARDS FIVE JUNIOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2006 SEASON
    Created: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Woodcliff Lake, NJ - September 28, 2005... BMW announced today the names of the five young drivers that will be awarded a 2006 Formula BMW USA Junior scholarship. Each will receive a $40,000 scholarship towards participation in the 2006 Formula BMW USA Championship and automatic enrollment in Formula BMW USA Education and Coaching Program. The 2006 Formula BMW USA Junior drivers that will race in the distinctive BMW Motorsport livery are Brandon Bealer (16), of Coalville, Ill.; Jordan Dick (17), of Northville, Mich.; David Garza (17), of Monterrey, Mexico ; Maxime Pelletier (15), of Longueuil, Quebec, Canada; and Robert Thorne (15), of Langhorne, Pa.The five winners were selected in a competition between 18 young drivers invited from two previous Formula BMW USA licensing schools held in July. On August 31 to September 1, the two-day “shoot-out”, was held at the Formula BMW Racing Center at the "Circuit de la Communitat" in Valencia, Spain. During practice session...
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  • BMW TEAM PTG EXPERIENCES A TOUGH CROWN ROYAL 250 AT THE GLEN
    Created: Sunday, September 25, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    BMW Team PTG M3s Finish 4th, 5th, 10th and 13th Watkins Glen, NY - September 24, 2005... For the first time in nine races, that have included six victories, BMW Team PTG failed to reach the Rolex Sports Car Series GT podium. The No. 22 BMW Team PTG M3, with a strong effort by Ian James and Chris Gleason, finished a team-best fourth in today’s Crown Royal 250 at The Glen. The duo completed 65 laps around the 3.4-mile Watkins Glen International long course in the two-hour-and-forty-five-minute contest, finishing one lap down to the winning Pontiac. Every BMW Team PTG M3 experienced problems in today’s race, resulting in a very frustrating day for the BMW squad that was aiming for its seventh victory of the season after a strong pole position start by Bill Auberlen in the No. 21 BMW Team PTG M3. The team did rally to keep alive a mathematical chance for a second consecutive GT Manufacturer and Driver Championship as the series heads to the penultimate race of the season.The ba...
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  • WTCC - ROUNDS 17 and 18 - VALENCIA - PREVIEW
    Created: Sunday, September 25, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    European leg of the WTCC season ends in Spain. Munich, 26th September 2005. This coming weekend, the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) will be bidding farewell to Europe. Rounds 17 and 18 of the series take place at the Circuit de la Comunitat Ricardo Tormo near Valencia, following which the BMW national teams will be gearing up for the season's final in Macau. Both the drivers and the team managers are unanimous that the World Championship title won't be decided until the event in China. That makes it all the more crucial to secure a good starting position in the two Spanish races.In the drivers' standings, both Andy Priaulx (GBR) of BMW Team UK and BMW Team Deutschland driver Dirk Müller (GER) have every chance of claiming the first World Championship title in touring car racing since 1987. Since Istanbul, Priaulx has been leading the championship with 74 points, and Dirk Müller is just one point adrift of him. The main threat to the BMW duo is Fabrizio Giovanardi (...
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  • BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE
    Created: Sunday, September 25, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Weather: Overcast. Temp: Air 24°C, Track 22-23°C Interlagos (BRA) The outcome of today's Brazilian Grand Prix was not what the BMW WilliamsF1 Team may ultimately have achieved. Both of the team's cars were involved in an accident just metres after the start, which put Antonio Pizzonia out of the race whereas Mark Webber was forced to pit for major repairs which lost him 25 laps, while his car was being repaired.Mark Webber: not classified Best time: 1:13.590 (lap 45 , 8th overall)Chassis: FW27 04 / BMW P84/5 Engine: 1st GPI had a reasonable start and got away ok from the grid but right then David Coulthard, came between me and Antonio and I didn't see him until the last moment. It was very, very tight and I was looking to get away from the damp area at turn one. Unfortunately, when David tried to pull out of the position he was in he clipped the back of Antonio, who then spun into me. I could see the bodywork was damaged but I didn't know how heavily so I went back into the gar...
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  • FORMULA BMW WORLD CASTS ITS SPELL ON THE DRIVERS
    Created: Friday, September 23, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Munich. The premiere of the Formula BMW World Final is fast approaching. From 13th to 16th December, the best drivers of the four international Formula BMW series will be measuring up against each other at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC). Around the world, drivers are currently talking to their teams with a view to signing up for this highly attractive season final. "I'm definitely going to be there," says Sébastien Buemi of Switzerland, who leads the Formula BMW ADAC Championship before the season's final rounds in Hockenheim (22nd/23rd October). 60 000 US-Dollars worth of prize money will be distributed at the event, and the winner will be granted a Formula One test drive with the BMW managed team. All drivers participating in any of the four Formula BMW series this year are eligible to take part in the prestigious event. Drivers will race in a tournament format featuring several qualifying rounds before the World Final race takes place on Friday, 16th Decemb...
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  • FIRST FORMULA ONE TEST FOR SEBASTIAN VETTEL
    Created: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Oxford/Munich, 21st September 2005. On 27th September, 18-year-old Sebastian Vettel will make his Formula One debut. The young driver from Heppenheim, Germany, will pilot the Williams BMW FW27 during the team's test next week at the Jerez circuit, in Spain. The talented junior driver was awarded a BMW contract in December 2004 after securing 18 out of 20 wins to take commanding victory in the Formula BMW ADAC Championship. Vettel has since been jointly sponsored by BMW and Red Bull. BMW Motorsport Director, Mario Theissen, commented: "Sebastian Vettel proved his outstanding talent in last year's Formula BMW ADAC Championship. This year he is contesting the Formula 3 Euro Series, in which he has further proved his potential. As a result, we are now giving him the opportunity of a Formula One test in Jerez."Of the test, Vettel says: "When I found out I was going to have a Formula One test, I was absolutely delighted. Since then, I've been steadily building up my neck muscl...
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  • WTCC - ROUNDS 15 AND 16 - ISTANBUL - QUALIFYING
    Created: Sunday, September 18, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Priaulx best-placed BMW driver in WTCC qualifying at Istanbul. Istanbul (Turkey), 17th September 2005. In qualifying for the 15th round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) at Istanbul, BMW Team UK's Andy Priaulx (GBR) finished seventh, after setting a personal best time of 2:05.363 minutes. Thus, he was the quickest of all BMW drivers. Despite carrying the maximum handicap weight of 60 kilograms, Priaulx is now in a promising position to add further championship points to his tally in tomorrow's races.Dirk Müller (GER), who is competing for BMW Team Deutschland and currently leads the Drivers' Championship, will start from tenth place. The German lines up one row behind Priaulx, his closest rival in the title fight, on Sunday's grid. Ahead of the two races at the Istanbul Speed Park, the Guernsey-born driver is trailing Dirk Müller, who is also carrying 60 kilograms on board of his BMW 320i, by just one point....
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  • WTCC - ROUNDS 15 AND 16 - ISTANBUL - RACE
    Created: Sunday, September 18, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Priaulx new championship leader - Zanardi makes it onto the podium again. Istanbul (Turkey), 18th September 2005. Andy Priaulx (GBR) of BMW Team UK has taken the lead in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) after rounds 15 and 16 of the series in Istanbul. In the first race of the day, the 31-year-old finished third behind race winner Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA) and the Alfa Romeo driver's team-mate, James Thompson.The second race at the Istanbul Speed Park saw another of the BMW national teams' drivers taking third place: Three weeks after his spectacular win at Oschersleben, Alessandro Zanardi (ITA) of BMW Team Italy-Spain secured his second podium finish in the WTCC. Gabriele Tarquini (ITA) and Augusto Farfus Jr. (BRA). finished first and second respectively for Alfa.However, BMW defended its lead in all championship classifications. For the first time this year, the leader of the drivers' standings is not Dirk Müller (GER) of BMW Team Germany, who took a ninth and a fif...
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  • BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX - PREVIEW
    Created: Thursday, September 15, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Mark Webber will again be partnered by Antonio Pizzonia for his home Grand Prix at Interlagos in Brazil next weekend. Pizzonia replaces the injured Nick Heidfeld, who has suffered a succession of incidents while testing and, more latterly, sustaining a cracked shoulder blade following a cycling accident. The team is approaching the final three races of a difficult season with renewed confidence based on increasing competitiveness over the past four races.Mark Webber:"I always enjoy the Brazilian Grand Prix, the fans are very passionate and knowledgeable. It was also a formative part of growing up, watching great racing there on television, particularly in the Senna/McLaren era.As with the last race at Spa, Interlagos can throw up a real mixture of weather, particularly heavy rain showers in the late afternoon, which can make the weekend very interesting. The track is, of course, famous for its anti-clockwise direction and also has many undulations and bumps, but I don't mind this ...
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  • BMW CONTRACTS NICK HEIDFELD FROM 2006
    Created: Thursday, September 15, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Munich, 16 September 2005. BMW and Nick Heidfeld will embark on a joint future in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2006. The Munich automobile manufacturer has concluded a three-year contract with the racing driver from Mönchengladbach (28). This fills the first cockpit in the new team run by BMW. BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen comments: "For us, a new era in Formula 1 will begin on 1 January 2006 when BMW takes over the team operated by Peter Sauber. We are very pleased that Nick will be with us in what will undoubtedly be a difficult initial phase. He is not simply a fast and courageous driver, he is also an analytical and meticulous worker. Nick already knows the two sites in Munich and Hinwil, and is familiar with everybody involved."Heidfeld, who is currently recovering from a cycling accident in his adopted home of Switzerland, said: "I'm really looking forward to the future. As far as I'm concerned, this represents the fulfilment of a big dream...
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  • WTCC - ROUNDS 15 and 16 - ISTANBUL - PREVIEW
    Created: Sunday, September 11, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    WTCC debuts in Turkey - Fight for the title closer than ever. Munich, 13th September 2005. The FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) enters its decisive stage. This weekend, the three BMW national teams take part in rounds 15 and 16 of the series. At the Istanbul Speed Park, the drivers will fight for an excellent starting position, before the title fight heats up in the final rounds at Valencia and Macau. The 5.340 kilometre circuit, designed by German architect Hermann Tilke, is the venue of an FIA-sanctioned World Championship for the second time in just four weeks. On 21st August, the inaugural Turkish Formula One Grand Prix was held. Both fans and drivers were impressed with this unique race track."Obviously we have followed the Formula One race very closely", says Charly Lamm (GER), Team Manager of BMW Team Deutschland - Schnitzer Motorsport. "We are looking forward to a new country and a new circuit on the calendar. The track resembles a roller-coaster, with l...
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  • BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS - SUMMARY
    Created: Saturday, September 10, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Gamble pays off as Webber finishes fourth in Spa. Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). Mark Webber emerged from a rough and tumble Belgian Grand Prix on a slowly drying track with a five-point haul for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team. The Australian driver finished fourth in Sunday's race as the curtain came down on the European season in Formula One amid testing conditions in Spa. Webber's Brazilian team-mate Antonio Pizzonia, standing in once again for Germany's Nick Heidfeld, was forced to retire on lap 40 of the 306.972-km race following a collision. Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen took victory in his McLaren-Mercedes after 44 laps of the 6.974-km undulating circuit, keeping his title hopes alive in the process. Second was Renault's championship leader Fernando Alonso (Spain), ahead of Jenson Button in a BAR-Honda. World Champion Michael Schumacher's race ended prematurely after an incident involving Japan's Takuma Sato (BAR-Honda).Alonso continues to head the drivers' standings after round 16 of the 1...
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  • BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE
    Created: Saturday, September 10, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Weather: Overcast. Temp: Air 17-18°C, Track 17-22°C Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) It was a very hectic final race of the European season today and on a drying track, Mark Webber came through to finish an eventual fourth, having started 9th and collecting five valuable points for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team in the process. Team-mate Antonio Pizzonia had an accident with four laps to go and was forced into retirement. Mark Webber: 4th Best time: 1:52.287 (lap 44 , 2nd overall)Chassis: FW27 04 / BMW P84/5 Engine: 2nd GPIt was a difficult race, strongly affected by many changes of tyres. It was a shame that we lost a lot of time when the Safety Car came out at the start of the race and we switched to dry tyres and then back to intermediates again. We obviously took a gamble, as everyone did today. We could have scored even a better result but it was also very easy to be in the wall today. It's long overdue for me to have, let's say a 'normal' race, and I want to give this result to the team...
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  • ITALIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE
    Created: Monday, September 05, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    Weather: Sunny, dry. Temp: Air 28-29°C, Track 45-46°C Monza (ITA) Thanks to a strong drive and a good strategy, Antonio Pizzonia scored two points for the BMW WillaimsF1 Team, by finishing seventh, having started 16th on the grid. Pizzonia stood in for Nick Heidfeld, who withdrew yesterday after a crash in testing. Team mate Mark Webber was unfortunately caught in an accident at the first corner, which forced him to pit for a new nose and front wing which compromised his race.Antonio Pizzonia: 7th Best time: 1:22.870 (lap 21, 6h overall)Chassis: FW27 03 / BMW P84/5 Engine: 1st GPI am very pleased with this result on one side but I am also slightly disappointed on the other because I think that I could have done even better if I had been at my top form, as I haven't tested recently and I am out of practice. Considering the whole situation, we scored two valuable points and my car was strong today. Mark Webber: 14th Best time: 1:22.935 (lap 40 , 7h overall)Chassis: FW27 04 / BMW ...
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  • BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - SEPTEMBER 9th - 11th - PREVIEW
    Created: Monday, September 05, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    The Belgium Grand Prix is the end of the European season for 2005. Twinned with Monza as a back-to-back race, Spa equally boasts a rich motor sport tradition after almost a century of motor racing. Nestled deep within the Ardennes forest, the track provides an exhilarating combination of long, fast straights, undulations and inspiring corners, while fickle weather adds another indeterminable element. One of the most popular races on the calendar, the Belgian Grand Prix undoubtedly provides all the ingredients for a potentially thrilling European curtain closer. Having missed the Italian Grand Prix, it remains to be seen whether Nick Heidfeld will have recovered in time to resume his place in the cockpit of the FW27. Nick Heidfeld:"Although Spa is not particularly far from my home town of Mönchengladbach, I haven't raced there much, which is a shame because Spa is one of the most beautiful circuits on the calendar. It has numerous fast corners and is wonderfully embedded into ...
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  • BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - SEPTEMBER 9th - 11th - PREVIEW
    Created: Monday, September 05, 2005 Author: Jeff Seabrook
    The Belgium Grand Prix is the end of the European season for 2005. Twinned with Monza as a back-to-back race, Spa equally boasts a rich motor sport tradition after almost a century of motor racing. Nestled deep within the Ardennes forest, the track provides an exhilarating combination of long, fast straights, undulations and inspiring corners, while fickle weather adds another indeterminable element. One of the most popular races on the calendar, the Belgian Grand Prix undoubtedly provides all the ingredients for a potentially thrilling European curtain closer. Having missed the Italian Grand Prix, it remains to be seen whether Nick Heidfeld will have recovered in time to resume his place in the cockpit of the FW27. Nick Heidfeld:"Although Spa is not particularly far from my home town of Mönchengladbach, I haven't raced there much, which is a shame because Spa is one of the most beautiful circuits on the calendar. It has numerous fast corners and is wonderfully embedded into ...
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