First closing date for 2005 UK series entries
Twenty one drivers and ten teams had registered to take part in the 2005 Formula BMW UK Championship by last Friday's first closing date for entries. Prospective drivers in the series, now entering only its second season, have over a month left if they want to take part in the first round on the 9th April at Donington Park as the final closing date is not until the 18th March.
Included in the 21 drivers are ten from last year and four rookies. For the first time a driver from Australia will race in the series alongside drivers from Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and the UK. Returning for the second season of a series that proved extremely popular with both drivers and spectators are the first ever race winner who was just 15 at the time, Simon Walker-Hansell, and the Rookie Cup winner, Ross Curnow. This year there is currently one 15 year old signed up and that is Joe Osborne from Olney, who won the Super One Junior TKM Inter British Kart Championship last year.
The seven teams who took part in the 2004 series have returned, and have been joined by three new ones - Master Motorsport, Nexa Racing and Filsell Motorsport - while currently there are three drivers entered as privateers - Jack Goldstraw, Euan Hankey and Ry Leon.
Registration List.
Number/Driver/Nationality/Entrant/Home Town/Age1/Simon Walker-Hansell/GB/Carlin Motorsport/Middlesbrough/162/Duarte Felix da Costa/POR/Carlin Motorsport/Cascais/193/Aaran Stroud/GB/Panther Motorsport/Camberley/204/Stian Sorlie/NOR/Fortec Motorsport/Spydeberg/215/Sam Bird/GB/Fortec Motorsport/Claygate/186/Christopher Holmes/GB/Fortec Motorsport/Skipton/177/Michael Meadows (R)/GB/Master Motorsport/Upper Tysoe/178/Ross Curnow/GB/Soper Sport/Salisbury/179/Joe Osborne (R)/GB/Nexa Racing/Olney/1510/Dean Smith/GB/Nexa Racing/Wombourne/1611/Jack Goldstraw/GB/Driver/St.Neots/1614/Matt Howson/GB/Filsell Motorsport/Preston/2115/Callum MacLeod/GB/Filsell Motorsport/Wooton-under-Edge/1716/Jonathan Legris (R)/GB/Panther Motorsport/Bournemouth/1717/Niall Breen/IRL/Barwell Motorsport/Dundalk/1818/Euan Hankey (R)/GB/Driver/Taunton/1728/Nathan Antunes/AUS/Motaworld Racing/Rochester/1630/Ry Leon/GB/Driver/Canterbury/1641/Matthew Harris/GB/Team SWR Pioneer/Southampton/1842/Lars Viljoen/GB/Team SWR Pioneer/Ramsgate/1943/Tom Horley/GB/Team SWR Pioneer/Baldock/18
(R) indicates driver eligible for Rookie Cup(*) indicates driver who entered the 2004 series
Background.Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level class in Formula racing. In 2005 the series will be held in Germany, Britain, Asia and the USA. Up-and-coming drivers as young as 15-years-old are given the opportunity of entering motor racing with the high-tech, standard FB2 race car.
This racing car has been seen on the grid since 2002 and has set standards particularly on the safety technology front. A single-seater propelled by a 140 bhp BMW motorcycle engine up to 230km/h, it exceeds by far the safety requirements for its class. BMW Motorsport has developed the FORS Formula Rescue Race Seat especially for Formula BMW and the HANS safety system is also mandatory.
In 2005, Formula BMW will be staged give times as part of the Formula One Support programme. All the series offer a multifaceted Education and Coaching Programme as well as sponsorship for promising racing talents. The best-known alumni of this talent hothouse are Formula One drivers Ralf Schumacher, Christian Klien and Timo Glock.
BMW Motorsport Director, Mario Theissen: "Formula BMW offers talented young drivers more than just a car. In the Education and Coaching Programme we have designed specially for them, they learn everything they need to know to hold their own in the big wide world of motor racing. Formula BMW has shot out of the blocks to become the top entry-level class for Formula racing worldwide."
