Munich (25th February 2008). The newly created Formula BMW Europe is shaping up some two months before the start of the season. The first race weekend on the undercard of the F1 Grand Prix in Barcelona (25th-27th April) will see 26 contestants on the grid. Up-and-coming young drivers from around the globe have signed up for the series. The field of participants embraces 13 nationalities: next to European drivers from Denmark, Germany, France, Britain, the Netherlands, Spain and Romania there will also be talented youngsters from Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates lining up on the grid.

Once again there were two ex-Formula One drivers who chose Formula BMW Europe as the motorsport platform for their offspring. Frenchman Erik Comas is sending his son Anthony out into the action after his stint last year in Formula BMW UK, where he gleaned his first experience. In 2007 Patrick Tambay accompanied his son Adrien to the German Formula BMW races and watched him claim the Rookie title in the final race of the season. 2008 will see him rooting for his son in Formula BMW Europe.

Ten racing teams, including some with prestigious Formula One names such as FMS International (Fisichella Motor Sport International) and Double R Racing (Raikkönen Robertson Racing), will be proving their mettle on eight race weekends featuring two races each. On seven of these the Formula BMW Europe drivers will be supporting Formula One events. The eighth event will be communicated at a later stage. On 26th February official testing for Formula BMW Europe starts in Monza. This year’s mandatory induction course for all drivers will take place at England’s Silverstone Circuit from 25th to 27th March.

Formula BMW Europe race calendar at a glance

Date Event Place
27th April Spanish GP Barcelona
06th July British GP Silverstone
20th July German GP Hockenheim
03rd August Hungarian GP Budapest
24th August European GP Valencia
07th September Belgian GP Spa-Francorchamps
14th September Italian GP Monza

Formula BMW Europe test schedule

Date Place
26th-27th February Monza
6th March Zolder
12th-13th March Barcelona
25th-27th March Silverstone (mandatory induction course)
19th-20th May Hockenheim
16th-17th June Spa-Francorchamps
25th-26th June Hungaroring

Formula BMW Europe list of participants

No. Name Nationality Team
2 Carlos Huertas Colombian Double R Racing
3 Michael Christensen* Danish Double R Racing
4 Rupert Svendsen-Cook British Double R Racing
5 Marco Wittmann German Josef Kaufmann Racing
6 Kazeem Manzur* British Josef Kaufmann Racing
7 Esteban Gutierrez Mexican Josef Kaufmann Racing
8 Thomas Hillsdon* British Motaworld Racing
9 Mathijs Harkema Dutch Motaworld Racing
10 Asad Rahman* UAE Motaworld Racing
11 Daniel Juncadella Spanish Eurointernational
12 Facundo Regalia* Spanish Eurointernational
15 Doru Sechelariu Romanian Fortec Motorsport
16 William Buller British Fortec Motorsport
18 Pedro Bianchini Brazilian FMS International
19 Mihai Marinescu Romanian FMS International
20 Ollie Millroy* British FMS International
21 Juan Cevallos Ecuadorian Mücke Motorsport
22 David Mengesdorf* German Mücke Motorsport
23 Anthony Comas French Mücke Motorsport
24 Bastian Graber German AM-Holzer Rennsport
25 Jazeman Jaafar Malaysian AM-Holzer Rennsport
27 Adrien Tambay French Eifelland Racing
28 Tiago Geronimi Brazilian Eifelland Racing
29 Henrique Martins* Brazilian Eifelland Racing
30 Kevin Breysse French DAMS Team
31 Jim Pla French DAMS Team

* Rookie