Formula BMW will it or wont it?

[Hamish Weir]

After having read this weeks Autosport I saw in the sales section that there was a Formula BMW car for sale for 40,000 euros. It stated that it was the same car that would be in the UK series in 04. What are BMW going to do? Will they be here in the UK or wont they in 04?
If anybody has heard anything please let me know as I would like to enter the championship if it comes to the UK.
Thanks in advance.

[Hamish Weir]

Well it looks as if it will. Anyone got any ideas on costs for a full season?

[Woolley]

Aparantly it will.

Can anyone explain why? After all we're hardly desperate for another one make manufacturer backed single seater series.

[Bob Pearson]

I thought these BM's were 1 litre cars, that being the case they will have a similar performance to Zip. If that is the case how does it fit in with the MSA's structure, since they were talking about 1 single make and one open manufacturer formula in each level.

[spearce]

Perhaps the MSA will have to restructure their new structure already !!! Zip + FR + BMW = 3, or doesn't zip count as its 'just a club' thing ???

[loadsaaaTOP]

the BMW uses 1000cc bike engine. They will be far quicker than zip, and depending on weight will be close to FR. ...BUT they are only looking for the big teams to come into it (ie carlin, motaworld etc etc) They are not interested in the racer with his trailer!!! Hamish, ever thought of F Honda??

[Hamish Weir]

Have thought about it but im looking for something where I just turn up and drive and do the odd bit of testing.

[Old Ropey]

Costs are apparently 39k for a car 10.5k registrstion, both plus vat of course. That is if they will let an individual enter, which just now they say they will. But what if a race is oversubscribed by "team" entries, what then the little individual?
No cars are to be seen in the UK officially, no test dates are being given, very noncommittal is the response a pal of mine has had to these kind of questions.
The cars may look fine in pictures, but will be no quicker than a Formula Honda 600, forget the quoted 150 mph.
Our Yamaha R1 Jedi did 142 at Snetterton at the weekend and the BMW will be nowhere near that.
For proper fast single seat racing you cannot beat the Jedis in either engine size. The 1000cc cars were within a second of quick FPA cars at Snett and they were paying 2.5k a race, plus vat no doubt!!

[Old Ropey]

Hamish if you want to arrive and drive I have a Formula Honda available. We'll be at Knockhill on 18th Oct for testing if you would like a run. Get me at mike@davidroper.co.uk if you fancy it.

[mark ch]

this link to the BARC web page should explain it all with details of regs and contacts

http://www.barc.net/ch04102.htm

Cut and paste from the site

"The BARC are pleased to announce that they have been selected as the Series Organiser for the Formula BMW UK Championship, which will be introduced to the UK in 2004.

British motor sport will receive a major boost with the introduction of this new single-seater championship. Designed to be the perfect launch-pad for the next generation of Grand Prix stars, Formula BMW features mini-F1 cars - complete with wings and racing tyres - powered by a 140 bhp engine that comes directly from the BMW K 1200 RS motorcycle. With packed grids of evenly matched cars plus top speeds approaching 150mph, Formula BMW championships have already proved a huge hit with both young drivers and fans in Germany and the Far East. Now the UK, too, will host its own race series with full backing from BMW UK and BMW Motorsport in Germany.

The Formula BMW UK Championship 2004 will be won and lost over ten race weekends with each meeting featuring two Formula BMW races to create a 20-round series. All of these double-header fixtures will be held in conjunction with the UK's premier motor sport drawcard, the high profile British Touring Car Championship. Formula BMW is already firmly established overseas as the best entry-level form of motor racing for promising young drivers seeking to graduate to single-seaters on their way to Formula One. With the BMW Williams F1 Team current leaders of the FIA World Championship, 2004 is considered to be the perfect time to introduce Formula BMW into the UK.

BMW UK will be offering an unprecedented package of scholarships, driver education and coaching, plus prize money, all aimed at discovering new talent, and providing the young graduates with the right credentials to go the whole way to the top.

It is hoped to open the Championship to all those aged between 15 and 25 on 1 January 2004 who hold the appropriate form of competition licence, and if the necessary arrangements can be ratified, this will lead to 15-year olds competing in a British single-seater championship for the very first time in UK motor sport history.

The series introduces talented young drivers to all the various demands of professional motor racing. Apart from honing their driving skills, this also entails physical fitness programmes and tuition in other aspects of the sport, such as technology, sponsorship and media work.

The cars are not only designed to teach racecraft and race car set-up, but also establish a new benchmark for safety technology. The race cars feature a state-of-the-art carbon-fibre chassis, fulfil the safety requirements for the far more powerful Formula 3 cars, and even reach some Formula One standards, such as the BMW Formula Rescue Seat.

BMW UK is also backing five carefully selected Juniors (all aged under 18) with scholarships each worth £35000 These beneficiaries will be selected before the start of the season at a course being run at Valencia in Spain.

Every Formula BMW competitor will harbour a dream of making it all the way to Formula One - and that's a dream BMW is well-positioned to fuel through its Grand Prix-winning partnership with the renowned BMW WilliamsF1 Team. As part of their education, racers will be able to participate in a wide variety of exclusive activities in conjunction with BMW WilliamsF1 including special lectures and visits to Formula One tests.

WilliamsF1 Team principal, Sir Frank Williams, will also present a special Frank Williams Trophy for sportsmanship and he will certainly be following the fortunes of those competing. "Formula BMW represents an excellent and cost effective platform to introduce talent to motor racing. I am confident that next year's series will be a great success and I would not be surprised if, in years to come, its British graduates are contenders in Formula One", says Sir Frank.

[Bob Pearson]

Crikey, Ropey, that was some claim you made there. I don't think you really have the quick slicks and wings single seater market at club level entirely sewn up. Mono have some extremely quick cars, as does BARC Renault, URS aren't far behind. Not putting you down at all, I like your cars, but there are some others out there doing as good a job.
I'm surprised you were that close to a front runner in FPA. We usually have comparable lap times with your guys and there is usually a 2 sec gap at Snett between us and FPA. The best BARC Renault lap I recall at Snett was in the 69's. Was the FPA in the 67's and your man in the 68's. If so I take my hat off to him.

[jonathanc]

Bob, Old Ropey is correct about the comparison between autumn FPA and formula Honda.

Remember not all the formula honda drivers take part in mono as some feel the driving standards are generally quite poor. I for one, do take part in mono as Im new to everything motorsport, thus need as much time on the track as possible. I enjoy it alot, but the general standards at mallory the other week did get out of hand. One car tried to push me off on the start/finish straight, but unfortunately for him he hit me square on and ended up taking himself off at high speed into the tyre wall.....ooops.

Agree there are several single seater series that when compared on lap times with the expensive series they are EXCELLENT value for money.

[JR Ewing]

Who gives a stuff about lap times within reason? It's closeness, skill and excitement that matters much more surely?

[UMBOP]

well you can guarentee a load of 15 year olds racing single seaters will be exciting! 150mph from an old 140bhp BMW i think that may be a slight exaggeration. How is a £10,500 registration fee a cost effective start to motorsport??

[Barry Pomfret]

Has anybody heard what the teams will be charging for drives? If the cars cost 40k and entries are 10k I would be very surprised if the top teams are under 120k for a season! Perhaps the anticipated exodus from Zetec will not happen after all.

[Hamish Weir]

Im hearing the minimum budget youre looking at spending is about £85,000 to £120,000. So much for it being a cheap series for karters to graduate into. Formula Ford isnt going to loose anything from this.

[bella]

but formula ford zetec is just as expensive without manufacturer backing, and it'll be lucky to last into next year. kents might be a heck of a lot cheaper, but that's a different idea isn't it?

[UMBOP]

Just looked on the MCN website the BMW K1200RS has 104 BHP at the wheel of the bike! So by the time its gone through whatever gearbox they are going to run i think you will be lucky to see 100BHP. The top speed of the bike is 152MPH. Think even zips will be quicker than that.

[Old Ropey]

Getting back to lap times, my man did 68.4 secs at Snetterton, the Jedi 1000cc record by Nigel Reuben is 67.995. In Friday testing he did 67.3 more than once.
Sure, lap times may not be everything, to spectators, but for racers, speed, and therefore time, is their raison d'etre.
Sorry Mr P but we certainly don't have things sewn up, I just think these Jedis are grand cars that don't get their deserved recognition.
Pity no-one runs Formula Libre races anymore. I'd love to see our little terriers take on the big bangers.

[Old Ropey]

Sorry I didn't complete the comparison, the best FPA time was 67.0 by Tom Tremayne, ex F Honda!! in race 1 and 67.4 in race 2, not Tremayne.

[Bob Pearson]

Good stuff Ropey, I agree about the formula Libre.

[Muz]

Old Ropey - im suprised at your quote of 142MPH for your R1 Jedi! we constantly hear from you guys about how amazingly quick these Jedi / Honda thingys are, - a couple of years ago when I was doing Zetecs we hit 140 - 144mph consistently on the back straight at Snett!?

[Muz]

In addition, I think you will find that the Zips are pulling 130ish mph on the back straight. I would therefore suggest that the BMW will not be far off this and not a million miles away from a jedi / honda / whatever time. (if at all).

[UMBOP]

Does top speed really matter that much surely a quick lap is as much to do with corner speed as straightline speed. We will see when BMW arrives in the uk anyway. However fast or slow they maybe has anyone got the budget?

[Andrew Kitson]

We will also see how BMW dilutes Zetec so we have two poorly supported series rather than one strong one.
Wasn't the MSA trying to stop that happening?