Formula Middle East

Rob29 · 24 Jan 2013, 16:53 (Ref:3193754)

Anyone know anything about this? Full page ad in todays Autosport but have only been able to trace the original launch anouncment last november.Was supposed to start last weekend-only thing offered now is 3 teams selling drives-has anyone entered?

p-matt · 24 Jan 2013, 19:52 (Ref:3193827)

Is GP2 Asia back?!

tux · 24 Jan 2013, 23:16 (Ref:3193925)

As far as i understand it the plan was to have 19 races over 6 weekends with everyone using identical Formula BMW cars run by a single team for a price of $85,000.

Thats just from the press releases when the championship was first announced.

jondownunder · 25 Jan 2013, 11:31 (Ref:3194143)

They finally have a website I see, just not a great deal on it to say the least.

http://formulamiddleeast.com/

If their aim was to get young drivers from Europe looking to race in the winter, I'd imagine that market's already covered by Toyota Racing Series and MRF Challenge.

Juntos · 26 Jan 2013, 13:48 (Ref:3194477)

Is this the series organized by Antonio capo di tutti capi Ferrari of Eurointernational? He had a pile of old Formula BMW in stock ready to race.

jondownunder · 26 Jan 2013, 23:32 (Ref:3194660)

Correct, the initial news reports said all cars would be run by Eurointernational.

Bostik · 28 Jan 2013, 13:08 (Ref:3195285)

Rob29 - What is in the Autosport advert?

Rob29 · 28 Jan 2013, 17:35 (Ref:3195361)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bostik

Rob29 - What is in the Autosport advert?

see link in post#4

Bostik · 28 Jan 2013, 17:59 (Ref:3195369)

Oh. Not much info and an invitation to send an email. Is this serious?

Rob29 · 29 Jan 2013, 09:41 (Ref:3195639)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bostik

Oh. Not much info and an invitation to send an email. Is this serious?

One wonders

Just checked and only difference between the ad.& website is the ad has 3 e-mail addresses/phone & fax numbers for;
Motorsport Asia
Bahrain International circuit
Eurointernational

Stephen Goddard · 1 Feb 2013, 14:22 (Ref:3197260)

The championship has begun at the Bahrain International Circuit with Formula 3 Euro Series graduate Emil Bernstorff taking two pole positions and two wins in the first two races.

Bostik · 1 Feb 2013, 18:59 (Ref:3197571)

What is an F3 Euro Series graduate doing competing in a F.BMW against young rookies:
" The Official Test began with drivers attending the classroom session by Mohammed Al Baharna, Chief Instructor of the BIC Racing Academy, in preparation for the four practice sessions. Three young karters from Bahrain, who have never driven before today, were given driving lessons in a specially prepared dual-control Ford Fiesta to evaluate their driving capabilities before sending them out to the track in the FB02 engine, Formula Middle East cars. "

Bostik · 10 Feb 2013, 05:37 (Ref:3202246)

So what happened? I heard that nobody signed up for the series so it has been canned.

jondownunder · 10 Feb 2013, 13:30 (Ref:3202387)

Well it seems at least one website somehow managed to get hold of results, and there were a few more cars than initial reports would have us believe. You'd think the organisers are trying to keep the whole thing a secret. Pretty pathetic.

Round 1 - Bahrain:

Race 1 & 2 report & results
Race 3 & 4 report & results

As for the current points standings, who knows?

10 cars started the weekend, but there were 9 for races 3 & 4 as Tomasso Menchini dropped out for some reason. There was an identical podium in all four races:

1. Emil Bernstorff
2. Nabil Jeffri
3. Raed Raffii

The only series calendar I could find on google was written in French. Here it is translated:

Formula Middle East - Calendar 2013

1 - 2 February: Bahrain (National Racing Festival) Races 1,2,3 & 4
14 - 15 February : Abu Dhabi (GT World Series) Races 5 & 6
8 - 9 March : Dubai (Total National Race Days) Races 7,8,9 & 10
15 - 16 March : Abu Dhabi (YAS Racing Series) Races 11 & 12
29 - 30 March : Bahrain (National Racing Festival) Races 13, 14, 15 & 16
19 - 21 April : Bahrain (F1-tbc) Races 17 & 18

Don't know if the next round at Abu Dhabi is still on? FIA GT isn't going there after all, and the Yas Marina website lists only the Yas Racing Series package on the timetable for that weekend, although that page was last updated in October.

Bostik · 10 Feb 2013, 13:55 (Ref:3202394)

The Abu Dhabi event was supposed to be the first round of the 2013 FIA GT Series supported by the UAE's single seater championship (Formula Gulf 1000) plus Formula Middle East. With GT and F.ME now cancelled Formula Gulf will have the place to themselves.

jondownunder · 10 Feb 2013, 14:55 (Ref:3202411)

So FME as a series is definitely cancelled?

remdev · 10 Feb 2013, 15:15 (Ref:3202415)

Calendar 2013 here : http://www.afos.com/index.php?option...221&Itemid=232

Results here ; http://www.afos.com/index.php?option...220&Itemid=234

Bostik · 10 Feb 2013, 18:18 (Ref:3202480)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jondownunder

So FME as a series is definitely cancelled?

Nothing made public, but as there are no events scheduled with the circuits mentioned and there are no drivers signed up, it would appear so.

Formulahistory · 15 Apr 2013, 19:39 (Ref:3234831)

Had someone the championship standings until now?

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