The powerful BMW V12 Le Mans Roadster, winner of the classic 24 hour race, will be another attraction for motorsport fans at the inaugural BMW Power Festival at Rockingham Motor Racing Circuit on the 21st and 22nd May.
The car not only won the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans with Yannick Dalmas (F), Pierluigi Martini (I) and Joachim Winkelhock (D) at the wheel, but also its first event in America, the Sebring 12 Hours, this time with Tom Kristensen (DK), JJ Lehto (FIN) and Jörg Müller sharing the driving. Its results during that season made it the most successful open-top sports car for two decades.
The race meeting programme will include rounds five and six of the Formula BMW UK Championship. This series started last weekend (9th /10th April) at Donington Park, where the racing was close and exciting. The winners of the two races were Matt Howson, with the brand new Filsell Motorsport team, and Australian Nathan Antunes (Motaworld Racing). Matt, who can claim to be ‘local’ to the circuit, leads the drivers’ points table. He was brought up in the Stamford area and was educated at Casterton Community College, just outside the Lincolnshire town. In the Rookie Cup Michael Meadows (Master Motorsport) and Euan Hankey (Barwell) had a win and a second each so are joint championship leaders. However, Michael did it the hard way with a caste on the ankle he broke three weeks before the race.
The Formula BMW UK Championship also made the headlines, due to a spectacular accident, that saw the youngest driver in the series, 16-year-old Joe Osborne (Nexa Racing) walk away without a scratch. The strength of the FB2 was plain for all to see as the car’s chassis, engine and gearbox all survived the crash intact.
Prior to the first two races the Formula BMW UK Championship drivers also received news of an end of season bonus. The first ever Formula BMW Championship World Final will be held at the Bahrain International Circuit from the 13th to 16th December. Not only will the UK drivers, who will join those from the Asian, German and American series, compete for an overall prize purse of US$60,000, but the Champion will get to test a BMW WilliamsF1 Team car.
Tickets prices are £15 (adv) or £20 (gate) for adults on Sunday 22nd May and £5 (gate only) on Saturday 21st May. Children 16 and under receive free admission. Anyone purchasing an advance ticket will be entered into a free draw, with the lucky winner (must be over 18) receiving a lap of the track in the brand new BMW M5 course car driven by Andy Priaulx.
