MEXICO CITY TO HOST 2008 FORMULA BMW WORLD FINAL
Source: BMW
Sep 18, 2008 - 7:59:21 AM
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Munich, 17 September 2008. This year will see the Formula BMW season end in the
Americas, with the "Autódromo Hermanos RodrÃguez", 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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