Munich, 17 September 2008. This year will see the Formula BMW season end in the Americas, with the “Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez”, situated in the heart of Mexico City (MX), hosting the 2008 Formula BMW World Final from 5th to 7th December. A unique prize awaits the winner of this prestigious event: the opportunity of a test drive in a BMW Sauber F1 Team Formula One racing car.

 

“We are looking forward to the opportunity of taking the Formula BMW World Final to the Americas,” says BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. “After previous World Finals in Bahrain and Valencia, the young drivers will be able to prove their skills on this classic circuit located in the centre of Mexico’s capital city. I am convinced that this populous metropolis will provide the perfect setting for the highlight of our Formula BMW season. After events in Asia and Europe, the time has come to stage the World Final in the Americas. This year numerous noteworthy talents representing many regions of the Americas are contesting the Formula BMW Americas series – which is one of three successful championships in the Formula BMW program – and therefore it is totally fitting that we meet, literally, in the centre. Once again we are offering the winner of the World Final the opportunity of driving our Formula One car. Consequently the contestants have every motivation to perform right through to the very end of their season.”

 

The Formula BMW World Final has established itself as the traditional finale of the BMW Motorsport year. The BMW Sauber F1 Team will contest Formula One’s final race on 2nd November in Brazil, with the World Touring Car Championship and Formula BMW Pacific staging their final events in Macau (MO) a fortnight later. With the running of the World Final in December – after the majority of championship titles have been decided – Formula BMW contestants have a further opportunity of ending their respective seasons on a high. The inaugural Formula BMW World Final, held in 2005, saw Marco Holzer win through – with the German a year later experiencing Formula One power for the first time at Valencia (ES). Success for Christian Vietoris (DE) in 2006 saw him inscribed on the roll of honour as the second winner. Philipp Eng’s victory last year will shortly see the 18-year-old Austrian rewarded with his dream prize: on 4th December he will venture onto the circuit in Mexico City with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

 

However, this much- coveted main prize is not the Formula BMW World Final’s only attraction. The thoughtfully constructed format offers the young drivers more track time than provided by customary Formula BMW race weekends. Beside free practice sessions, the heat format enables the drivers to amass valuable racing experience.

 

Approximately 60 young drivers aged 15 and upwards are currently contesting the Formula BMW Europe, Formula BMW Pacific and Formula BMW Americas championships, enabling them to successfully take their first steps towards single-seater racing careers.

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