Rounds 19 and 20 - Hockenheim - Hülkenberg wins, Buemi is provisional champion.
It was an emotionally charged final to the season. The Formula BMW ADAC Championship has a new provisional champion in 16-year-old Sébastien Buemi (CHE/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg). Only after a decision by the race stewards was the Swiss driver confirmed as the winner of Saturday's race ahead of Markus Niemelä (FIN/Team Rosberg) and Dominik Wasem (Seiboldsdorf/HBR Motorsport). On Sunday, Nicolas Hülkenberg (Emmerich/Josef Kaufmann Racing) prevailed against Martin Ragginger (AUT/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) and Buemi.
On Saturday the race stewards had debated a controversial braking manoeuvre by Buemi at the end of a safety car phase. Buemi, who was in the lead at that stage, was handed a 30-second penalty for his dangerous move, while Hülkenberg immediately behind him was also given a 30-second penalty for breaking the rules in overtaking him. Buemi's penalty was later overturned, since there was no evidence for unsporting behaviour that contravened the rules. Hülkenberg's team manager Josef Kaufmann lodged an appeal against this decision with the DMSB in Frankfurt, Germany's national motor sport authority. Following the decision by the race stewards, Buemi romped ahead in the overall rankings to become the provisional champion. "I'm delighted despite all the squabbling," declared the Mücke driver.
On Sunday, it was Hülkenberg who stole the show. The 18-year-old driver from North-Rhine Westphalia won the 20th race with a lead of 6.7 seconds, punched the air in victory and let his emotions flow freely. He hugged his team manager and beamed all over as he was congratulated. "After the incident with Buemi on Saturday I've been getting a lot of support. One spectator said to me: You're the champion of our hearts. Everyone has seen that I'm the faster driver," said Hülkenberg following the presentation ceremony carried out by BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen.
"Over the year, our junior drivers have made tremendous progress once again. With his performance Hülkenberg has shown that he is the discovery of the 2005 season. I'm looking forward to seeing him and the other drivers at the Formula BMW World Final in Bahrain in December," said Theissen of the exciting season just past. After ten race weekends and 20 races, Buemi leads the standings with 302 points ahead of Hülkenberg (285) and João Urbano (POR/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, 155).
With the exception of the sixth race in Spa, Buemi never failed to make it into the points. He climbed onto the podium 17 times, eight times as winner. It was his second season in the Formula BMW ADAC Championship. Last year he came third. Hülkenberg was making his Formula BMW debut in 2005 and was up on the podium 14 times, taking the top spot eight times.
Race 20, placings: 1. Nicolas Hülkenberg (Emmerich/Josef Kaufmann Racing) 19:39.876, 2. Martin Ragginger (AUT/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 19:46.577, 3. Sébastien Buemi (CHE/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 19:46.873, 4. Chris van der Drift (NLD/Team Rosberg) 19:49. 317, 5. Natacha Gachnang (CHE/Josef Kaufmann Racing) 19:51.623, 6. Markus Niemelä (FIN/Team Rosberg) 19:51.961, 7. Nick de Bruijn (NLD/Josef Kaufmann Racing) 19:57.474, 8. Marcel Jeleniowski (Bornheim/Eifelland Racing) 20:00.232, 9. Mika Mäki (FIN/Mika Mäki) 20:06.563, 10. Stefano Coletti (MCO/Eifelland Racing) 20:07.878, 11. Henri Karjalainen (FIN/Team Rosberg) 20:09.789, 12. Dominik Wasem (Seiboldsdorf/HBR Motorsport) 20:10.262, 13. Andzej Dzikevic (LTU/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 20:14.979, 14. Tobias Hegewald (Waldbreitbach/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 20:15.317, 15. Tim Sandtler (Bochum/AM-Holzer Rennsport) 20:18.485, 16. Marco Idili (NLD/ HBR Motorsport) + 2 Runden, 17. Marco Holzer (Bobingen/AM-Holzer Rennsport) + 3 Runden.
Not classified: Jiri Micanek jun (CZE/Czech National Team), Jonathan Summerton (USA/Team Rosberg), João Urbano (POR/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg), Christian Vietoris (Lissendorf/MLX-Eifelland Racing), Sergio Perez Mendoza (MEX/4speed Media)
Pole position: Hülkenberg. Fastest race lap: Hülkenberg 1:45.956 min.
Circuit length: 50.314 km (11 laps).
Race 20, Rookie placings (newcomers to the Formula series):1. Hülkenberg (Emmerich/Josef Kaufmann Racing), 2. Ragginger (AUT/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg), 3. de Bruijn (NLD/Josef Kaufmann Racing), 4. Mäki (FIN/Mika Mäki), 5. Coletti (MCO/Eifelland Racing), 6. Hegewald (Waldbreitbach/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg), 7. Idili (NLD/ HBR Motorsport). Nicht gewertet: Vietoris (Lissendorf/MLX-Eifelland Racing), Perez Mendoza (MEX/4speed Media).
Championship standings after 20 out of 20 races: 1. Buemi (302), 2. Hülkenberg (285), 3. Urbano (155), 4. van der Drift (147), 5. de Bruijn (109), 6. Gachnang (90), 7. Niemelä (80), 8. Ragginger (78), 9. Sandtler (72), 10. Summerton (50), 11. Onidi (48), 12. Mäki (44), 13. Holzer (40), 14. Perez Mendoza (37), 15. Leuchter (16), 16. Vietoris (13), 17. Coletti (13), 18. Wasem (12), 19. Idili (9), 20. Hegewald (5), 21. Karjalainen (4), 22. Cecotto (3), 23. Höing (2), 24. Dzikevic (2), 25. Schlegelmilch (1).
Rookie standings: 1. Hülkenberg (369), 2. de Bruijn (215), 3. Ragginger (193), 4. Mäki (151), Perez Mendoza (143), 6. Coletti (106), 7. Hegewald (102), 8. Idili (99), 9. Vietoris (87), 10. Höing (57), 11. Cecotto jun. (55).
