2010 Formula BMW Pacific

[Lam Pak]

Team E-Rain:
Meritus:
Petronas MOFAZ:
Eurasia:
Champ Motorsport:
Atlantic:
Asia Racing Team:
AOS Racing:
Motaworld Racing:
Eurointernational: (some rounds)

If you know any more drivers who will attend the Formula BMW pacific please feel free to say it.

The 2010 calendar has not yet been confirmed.

[Monkey Head]

Ilyas and Suriya will stay in E-rain and ART respectively,and also Eurasia should have signed with 2010 scolarship winner Sakuri.

Motaworld should entering with 3 cars now

[Slider48]

They just announced 4 drivers for 2010:

Calvin Wong
Ryan Ritchie
Natasha Seatter
Abang Amirrul

[Slider48]

They will have Chan Mun Shien as driver.

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by Slider48

They will have Chan Mun Shien as driver.

should be Chang Mun Shien

[Monkey Head]

Eurasia signed 2 drivers

http://www.eurasiamotorsport.com/new...f-bmw-pacific/

[brucelok2003]

Since the F-BMW Americas is shutted down, can there be 20-24 cars in 2010 season?

[NaBUru38]

brucelok2003, some 2009 F-BMW Americas drivers might prefer to stay in North America and join this "new" Road to Indy.

[Lam Pak]

Team E-Rain: Fahmi Ilyias?
Meritus: Dustin Sofian?
Petronas MOFAZ: Calvin Wong,Ryan Ritchie, Natasha Seatter, Abang Amirrul
Eurasia: Duvashen Padayachee, Richard Bradley, Kotaru Sakurai?
Champ Motorsport:
Atlantic: Steele Guiliana?
Pacific Racing: Chang Mun Shien
Asia Racing Team: Suriya Bala?
AOS Racing:
Motaworld Racing:
Eurointernational: (some rounds)

[Lam Pak]

2010 F‐BMW PROVISIONAL CALENDAR
Date (日期)
Circuit‐Country (赛道‐国家)
Rounds
(回合)
Note
1 ‐ 5 April 4月1‐5日
Sepang Int. Circuit (F1) ‐Malaysia
马来西亚雪邦赛车场
1 &2
13 ‐ 16 May 5月13‐16日
Sepang Int. Circuit (AFOS)‐Malaysia
马来西亚雪邦赛车场
3, 4, 5 & 6
17 ‐ 20 June 6月17‐20日
TBA
待定
7 &8
Contract not finalized
26 ‐ 29 August 8月26‐29日
Korean Int. Circuit (AFOS)‐Korea
韩国国际赛车场
9, 10, 11 & 12
Event probably to be dropped
23 ‐ 26 September
9月23‐26日
Singapore Marina Bay Circuit (F1)‐Singapore
新加坡滨海湾赛道
13 & 14
14 ‐ 17 October
10月14‐17日
Korean Int. Circuit (F1)‐Korea
韩国国际赛车场
15 & 16
If F1 goes ahead
17 ‐ 21 November
11月17‐21日
Macau Guia Circuit (MGP)‐Macau
澳门东望洋赛道
17
Contract not finalized

[bothfeetin]

Hey Lam...where did you got the calendar from? I have not seen any dates from MAL, FBMW or AFOS yet! Interesting!

[Monkey Head]

First off Season after Macau's season finale has been taken place on Sepang ,Meritus,E-Rain and Motaworld has tested with some driver as follow:

E-Rain:Joordan Oon, Fahmi Ilyas and Natacha Seatte
Meritus:Pasin Lathouras
Motaworld:Michelle Gatting

[total3d]

^ was this the testing from last week?
last week(15th-17th dec):
E-rain ran with 3 drivers, Jordan , Natacha(petronas driver) and one more.
meritus ran with two. one of which was fahmi illyas.
Eurasia ran 4 drivers, 3 of which are running the the 2010 series: Duvashen Padayachee, Richard Bradley and the scholarship winner Kotaro Sakurai.
Chris Wootton was the 4th driver present.
I dont think motorworld were there.

[bothfeetin]

Atlantic Racing Team signed Australian's FBMW Junior Jesse Dixon yesterday.
The team will be testing in Europe in January as well as in Sepang beginning of February. The second driver will be announced shortly while there is a discussion with the new team sponsor to allow a 3rd car in the team, reserved for an American female driver.
After the initial success with Gabby Chaves in 2008 where he had 3 podium places, came first in the first ever for FBMW 2008 Macau GP under the regular Pacific drivers (see points standing), Atlantic Racing has build up the reputation of an underdog. This paid off handsomely as they just signed a significant sponsorship deal. Details will be released shortly but it can be said that Jesse Dixon is the first one who will be benefiting from this deal.

The sponsor will announce shortly his Motorsport program which also include a motorcycle team.
All in all not too shabby a deal for a "minor" team, or?

Btw - the team's name will be modified also.

[Slider48]

Formula BMW Pacific gears up for watershed season.

Asia Pacific’s premier entry-level racing series, Formula BMW Pacific, is all set for a stellar season in 2010, with an optimal combination of high-profile showcase events and challenging four-race weekends, and an exciting line up of new teams and drivers.

Racing across Asia for the eighth year in 2010, the season will open at the Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix in April. The series will also support the FIA Formula One World Championship in Singapore, with the potential for a third event at the inaugural Formula 1 Korean Grand Prix.

Giving the young drivers plenty of track time will be two Asian Festival of Speed meetings, scheduled for Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit and the new F1 circuit in Korea, while the series hopes to return to the Macau Grand Prix for a third successive year for a spectacular season-closer in November.

As well as its impressive race calendar, Formula BMW Pacific can look forward to an exciting field for the season ahead, including new drivers and teams.

Eurointernational, who last year notched up an impressive 25 victories in 35 Formula BMW Europe, Americas and Pacific races, joins the series for a full season in 2010. Seven-time Formula BMW Pacific Team Trophy winners, Questnet Team Qi-Meritus will be back, as will Eurasia Motorsport and E-Rain Racing.

Petronas and Mofaz Racing recently announced they have joined forces to form the Petronas Mofaz Racing Team to contest the series next year. Mofaz Racing has been successful in Europe with Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy, recently confirmed as the third driver for the new Lotus F1 team.

The team has already unveiled its line-up of four Malaysian drivers for next season, with Calvin Wong (17), 5th in the Rookie Cup last year, joining Petronas Formula Xperience Racing School graduates Ryan Ritchie (16), Abang Amirul Hadi Abang Khirudin (17), and female racer Natasha Nur Ida Adam Seatter (16).

The Formula BMW scholarship winners for next year are Jesse Dixon (17) of Australia, and Japan’s Kotaro Sakurai (15), and they will line up on the grid with a truly international array of young racers from across Asia Pacific and beyond. The pair will be keen to follow in the footsteps of 2006 Formula BMW Asia Junior Daniel Ricciardo, now a hot prospect for Formula 1 having recently topped a testing session.

In past years, Formula BMW has proven to be the ideal springboard into the world of Formula One for many drivers. Last season alone, five former BMW drivers lined up in this series – and with great success. Nico Rosberg (DE), Timo Glock (DE), Adrian Sutil (DE) and Sébastien Buemi (CH) all scored World Championship points. Sebastian Vettel (DE) even celebrated four Grand Prix victories and finished the season as runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship, behind Jenson Button (GB). Nicolas Hülkenberg (DE) and Bruno Senna (BR) will join the quintet in 2010 as regular F1 drivers. A number of other Formula BMW graduates can also hope to get a taste of Formula One as test and reserve drivers.

[bothfeetin]

Wonders me sometimes if this BMW Motorsport page is written by certain teams as how is it possible that all the other participating teams are not mentioned, i.e. AOS, Atlantic, ART, Champ, MotaWorld and so on.
Are these teams just "fillers" for and in the oh so fantastic other, in this article mentioned, racing teams?

I am sure the writer of said above mentioned article has no idea what it means when teams are NOT mentioned - i.e. would a driver with the intention to run in this series even think to call/write these "filler" teams? Probably not!

Then things happen the same way as in the then so glorified, and now dumped FBMW Americas (and even a name and operator change did not prevent the fall).

Let's not forget teams are dealing with mostly immature drivers, parents with hardly any solid idea of what teams are about (as an example given here Atl. Racing...one of the worst teams ever, or so they/some seem to think, even though they "groomed" Gabby Chaves for his limited success with very limited money)....so race teams need all the positive press they can get to stay in business and make even this Pacific series a good series.

Thanks a lot Formula BMW, BMW Motorsport Press... you really help the "lower" teams! (NOT).

[Asa]

Originally Posted by bothfeetin

Wonders me sometimes if this BMW Motorsport page is written by certain teams as how is it possible that all the other participating teams are not mentioned, i.e. AOS, Atlantic, ART, Champ, MotaWorld and so on.
Are these teams just "fillers" for and in the oh so fantastic other, in this article mentioned, racing teams?

I am sure the writer of said above mentioned article has no idea what it means when teams are NOT mentioned - i.e. would a driver with the intention to run in this series even think to call/write these "filler" teams? Probably not!

Then things happen the same way as in the then so glorified, and now dumped FBMW Americas (and even a name and operator change did not prevent the fall).

Let's not forget teams are dealing with mostly immature drivers, parents with hardly any solid idea of what teams are about (as an example given here Atl. Racing...one of the worst teams ever, or so they/some seem to think, even though they "groomed" Gabby Chaves for his limited success with very limited money)....so race teams need all the positive press they can get to stay in business and make even this Pacific series a good series.

Thanks a lot Formula BMW, BMW Motorsport Press... you really help the "lower" teams! (NOT).

Then you haven't thought hard enough before committing your team to this series, despite the experience of FBMW America, have you?

[bothfeetin]

Originally Posted by Asa

Then you haven't thought hard enough before committing your team to this series, despite the experience of FBMW America, have you?

ASA-sadly this might be true. So what is it you recommend for all teams to do? You seem to have the inside track I am missing - still after some long time/years of racing. Quit and go to FRenault in Europe, Lista or F2000 with Indy? All are valid choices - but can you see the trend here?

All I am saying in the previous post is that it is sad to see even BMW Motorsport seems not to grasp that they need these days all and any team to make a good grid.

Re BMW Pacific - can you count on how many teams are "real Asian" teams; how many drivers are "real Asian" drivers? So what would happen if these non Asians would leave for greener pastures, including these drivers being lured to Asia as "Asian Motorsport" is an up and coming place to be?

When I now understand you - I should have stayed where I was before? If that is the case - good luck in and with the future of Asian motorsport; if not - sorry but then explain. PM might be better but does not matter to me - thick skin!

[bothfeetin]

As far as I know:

That's the provisional calendar for Formula BMW Pacific 2010:

Date Country Circuit Races
1 – 4 April Malaysia Sepang Int. Circuit (F1) 1 & 2
13 – 16 May Malaysia Sepang Int. Circuit (AFOS) 3, 4, 5 & 6
26 – 29 August Korea Korean Int. Circuit (AFOS) 7, 8, 9 & 10 *
23 – 26 Sept. Singapore Marina Bay Circuit (F1) 11 & 12
21 – 24 October Korea Korean Int. Circuit (F1) 13 & 14 **
17 – 21 Nov. Macau Guia Circuit (MGP) 15 ***

*, **, *** Subject to

Beg's the question of what to do in the near 3 months of non racing activities. For Pacific drivers it might be a good idea to align themselves with teams running in other series as they can race 3 same class/level races in addition to FBMW Pacific.

How about the LO-Lista Series? Same cars-great driving experience on European tracks; great teams and aa great organizer with good old Fredy Lienhard (Lista Office Manufacturer, owner, sponsor, accomplished race car driver - Horag-Lista (remember???) ) as series sponsor.
Atlantic Racing Team has had a team (cooperative efforts to cut costs) there and even Steel Guiliana tried his luck there in 2009.

OR - will FBMW allow the drivers and teams to go and test? Putting more useless miles on the car, increasing the costs of the teams and drivers? Myth busting should be done when they think that testing is cheaper than racing! And where to test? AGAIN in Sepang? How many more miles on this big F1, otherwise so boring, track? Not too many other choices when transport costs are already a big part of the yearly budget.

[Juntos]

BMW Motorsport tends to support the malaysian based teams. They helped BMW when the championship was a misery a few years back.

This is a dodgy and timid calendar. Where is China? Where is Indonesia? Where is Japan? Disappointing...

[bothfeetin]

Juntus - In all fairness towards BMW Motorsport I always thought it was the promoter who has the "influence" where to go and what to do in Asia. With the apparent conflicts they had over the past 2 years with the Chinese counterparts, so to speak, it is of no wonder that they stick to what is already a known and safe factor. Too bad on one side, but it also has it's advantages - travel costs should be minimized, benefiting the teams bottom line and the drivers financial burden. But then....twice Korea ....ain't cheap either!

Seems these days that nothing is good for everybody - drivers want to go to all kinds of high profile events, speak Australian F1, Korean F1, Bahrain and so on...but have not the required cash to feed and give some margins to the teams (not to say all drivers but a hell of a lot of them for sure digging grandma's last penny up); the promoter who also needs to combine all of his race car series so he can make some money paying the staff and so on; And BMW Motorsport's interest in FBMW, the Asian marketing of their brand.....
And on top of all of this is also Petronas' association with Peter Sauber at first, then BMW F1, the school, the Sepang track and now Mercedes!

I also firmly believe that the time for small and independent teams are gone! Why I say so? Organizers just like the "big team" syndrome - less hassle per team when there are 6 cars (well, to be "legal" make it 3 plus 3) in a team rather thaqn the one car, one driver, one man show. But also small teams cannot offer a decent place for marketing, sponsorships, promotions and so on. AND - with the structure of team points they will near never get with a one car a Team Championship - which seems of importance to next year drivers.
Naturally this big team syndrome also has it's downfalls - when they leave, being either bankrupted or just p....ed off at the Series (seen it all - ie. Gelles), there will be a big hole which, in most of the series I know of, cannot be filled. Cannot? Yes cannot -Domino effect sets in...drivers wonder why the big gun has left; organizer gets stuck with too much expenses and cuts corners; other teams leave as it becomes a mediocre series with less good and cash on hand drivers and so on....

So, what's the plan Henry? Get big, fast!

Last thought - Wonder if the FBMW cars will get a Mercedes engine, haha!

[gomick]

So why isnt an Australian round on the calender...

[speedkills]

Cause FFord is strong in Australia and F3 is a better option than FBMW.

[gomick]

FBMW Pacific could run a round at Albert Park with the F1 GP...

[Juntos]

gomick - Why or why not? ... Australia is a better market for the series than Korea will ever be. Bet on it. On top of that BMW Motosport shall not announce their calendar with half venues subject to confirmation. Too mediocre to believe!

bothfeetin - how can you quote Atlantic, Ao's, Asia Racing Team as small teams compared to Eurasia or ERain? Atlantic is everywhere in the world ~ US, LISTA series, FBMW Pacific, etc ~, AO's is Zongshen motorbikes factory team with MotoGP' 125cc races, and Asia Racing Team is perhaps the biggest team based in China. Eurasia or ERain and Meritus too, get a special care in BMW Motorsport because they were the pioneers when Asia showed up on BMW monitors years ago. Reason they do the Scholarship and 40% of the championship in Sepang. There is a well-known saying that it is better to give than receive; I would say that it is also easier to give than receive.