2011 Formula Pacific (nee BMW) off season

[Fucithalmic]

The title sponsor for MAL / Formula Pacific is rumoured to be from India & will be supplying rubber to all teams. I am not sure how many Indian tire manufacturer's are there. Enlighten please.

Also, Air Asia starting a new team could be false. Why? They are committed to GP2 next year & Alex Yoong rumoured to be heading the team in some form of capacity. On Nabil, rumour has it he's searching for anorther seat for financial reasons. Perhaps Eurasia too expensive or funds from Air Asia ran out. Daim, too young. Not time yet. Develop more racecraft at karting first. Likely, Ron Tan & he'll be the surprise package. Which team? Could take over Nabil / Bradley's car at Eurasia. Natasha, rumoured to be heading to Europe. Oscar & Kotaro, rumoured for GP3 despite my personal feeling that they are not ready yet.

[total3d]

Originally Posted by Slider48

Daim Hishammuddin will be 12 years old next year...

hahahahaha, would be able to see over the steering? jk

[Go_For_Pole]

Tunjo is testing FR2000 cars

[gillesf]

From Eurasia site: Drivers Guide

•Provisional schedule
Rounds 1-2 April TBC *
Rounds 3-6 May 8-9 Korea (F1 Circuit) AFOS
Rounds 7-10 May 27-29 Sepang AFOS
Rounds 11-14 July 23-24 Sentul AFOS
Rounds 15-16 Sept TBC *
Rounds 17-18 October TBC *
Nov 18-20, Macau GP Invitational event.


Only my guess from the previous post from Slider.


Rounds 1-2 April 8-10 Sepang F1
Rounds 3-6 May 8-9 Korea (F1 Circuit) AFOS
Rounds 7-10 May 27-29 Sepang AFOS
Rounds 11-14 July 23-24 Sentul AFOS
Rounds 15-16 September 23-25 Singapore F1
Rounds 17-18 October 28-30 Indian F1

Nov 18-20, Macau GP Invitational

[Slider48]

Latest rumour is that Sentul is back on the calendar. I guess if it happens it won't be in July as that is Ramadhan (fasting month). So perhaps a swap of Sentul for Korea? It does not seem economical to ship the cars from Sepang to Korea and back to Sepang in the first three months.

According to an interview in a Malaysian newspaper Tan Wei Ron will be racing karts (WSK) in Europe next year.

JK Tyres as the title sponsor?

I guess we'll have to wait till January before the scene gets clearer. Great to see so much interest in the series though. Who needs BMW?

[Slider48]

My guesstimate calendar:


8 - 10 April Malaysian F1 support (2 races)
27 - 29 May Sepang AFOS (4 races)
late June Sentul(4 races)
5 - 7 August Guangdong AFOS (4 races)
23 - 25 September Singapore F1 support (2 races)
28 - 30 October Indian F1 support (2 races)
18 - 20 November Macau (1 race, non-championship)

[brucelok2003]

what about Zhuhai? Is it possible to organize a round for Formula Pacific, partner with Porsche Cup?

[gillesf]

I like your first draft.

8 - 10 April Sepang F1
27 - 29 May Sepang AFOS
15 - 17 July Korea AFOS
5 - 7 August Guangdong AFOS
23 - 25 September Singapore F1
28 - 30 October Indian F1
18 - 20 November Macau

I like late June for Sentul idea better than the August date. I hope that Korea is not deleted, that's the future of the region.

I think the fact that the date at Sepang, Korea and Sentul are from a team website makes it more than a best guess as to these three dates and location but it isn't direct from the series yet.

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by Slider48

Latest rumour is that Sentul is back on the calendar. I guess if it happens it won't be in July as that is Ramadhan (fasting month). So perhaps a swap of Sentul for Korea? It does not seem economical to ship the cars from Sepang to Korea and back to Sepang in the first three months.

According to an interview in a Malaysian newspaper Tan Wei Ron will be racing karts (WSK) in Europe next year.

JK Tyres as the title sponsor?

I guess we'll have to wait till January before the scene gets clearer. Great to see so much interest in the series though. Who needs BMW?

would it be the problem?
in old days AFOS race in Sentul every July

[gillesf]

Just found support of Slider's original posted dates. Atlantic Racing Team website has the same as Slider. Adding a June date for Sental rather than removing Korea would make it a very well done 7 race season with the option of the non point Macau GP. Any date in June would work as long as there is enough time to ship for the 17th date at Korea.

I like this from Slider, I will hope for this to be the series.

Maylasia (2), Korea, Indonesia, China, Singapore and India. Option of a second in China at Macau. Pretty good balance.

Would be nice to see Japan(Pacific) instead of India(Middle East/Asia) but if there is support for MAL from there the series has a future.

Will there be a GT4 Asia series at the AFOS rounds??

[NaBUru38]

Asia needs the Formula Pacific to build young drivers.

[Fucithalmic]

On the sidelines, with so much $$$ being dumped by Proton (through Lotus Renault F1), Tony Fernandes (through his own team in F1) & Petronas (through Mercedes GP) into Formula 1, how I wish some of the $$$ go into and be better use at Formula Pacific. I'm sure all the teams would welcome any sponsors from those 3 whereby it will transalate to cheaper race seats for young drivers to be developed. Sigh, sigh, sigh.

Btw, heard that IM plans to run 3-cars next season. Also heard they are making a big gamble by bringing in an ex-Formula 1 driver too.

[Slider48]

Petronas funds and runs a four driver team in Formula BMW/Pacific, so they are one of the best supporters of the series. Air Asia has its driver development programme but I am not sure how much budget they actually put into the series.

As for Lotus/Proton, the less said the better.

[gillesf]

Funny, Petronas seems like they are really behind the series, he missed that.

Proton/Lotus - Less said the better?

Not being from there my understanding of Malaysia or Proton is limited, do have a classic Lotus Esprit s2 but until Lotus/Proton did the Paris show didn't think the brand would ever be anything again. I would like to hear and understand the issues.

Don't stop teaching me stuff, I like it. You already had me look up Ramadhan but I feel better now that I know what it is.

Then at the end throw out something new for the 2011 F.Pacific series so we keep on task.

[Slider48]

The Lotus-Renault deal is being sold in Malaysia as "the same strategy of Ferrari". Nothing could be further from the truth. Ferrari manufactures its own F1 and road cars. Both are very successful, profitable businesses on their own, so the synergies are plain to see.

Group Lotus has been losing money for years. It has been kept alive indirectly by Malaysian tax-payers. It's major problem is that it has not updated its product offering for years. It seems to me it's first priority should be to ensure it has competitive, desirable products to sell and to promote these products by racing them, just like BMW (DTM and GT) and Toyota (NASCAR) do.

Group Lotus thinks it is better to spend a whole bunch of money, that it does not have, to convince us that a F1 car designed and manufactured by another company, probably running in mid-field, would sell more road cars. There must be a good reason why Renault is dumping the team, no?

[bothfeetin]

In reality - who really cares from whom they get and with what they spend for whatever reasons - Proton that is - and so the MY government!
Yes it would be a blast to see the other two pumping in support for young drivers - but then...why should they? If it would not directly go to reducing the driver's costs then all would be wasted - why? Teams will jack up prices, organizers will find ways to funnel some of the newly gained fundings into their organisation and so on...

Pessimist? Nope - reality, as all had been tried and nobody succeeded in a true cost reduction UNLESS it is a true sponsorship in goods i.e. tires, no entry fees, fuel, transportation, hotels, hospitality and...and..

So I see the price of next year's season has not changed / lowered but slightly increased. Too bad - and what is this all with Macau not a Championship race but an ADDED/EXTRA? Seems there is a way for a team to cash in on "Guest Drivers" if and when the regular one will not/ cannot come up with some more Euros...good idea actually - Atlantic seems to think that - see their 2011 "price lists"?
Others seem to be shy giving their prices...why?
And there is a new team from Malaysia so I read...is Fauzy behind it too? Or is his Dutch manager going alone with the German engineer, as per his press release?

Can't wait for all the gossip mills to churn out more...bring it on...it's off racing time and all is soooo boring.

Did I mention " merry Christmas to all of you? No? Okay here it is - have a real good festive season, where ever and who ever you are!"

[gillesf]

bothfeetin, good comments.

I have an issue with most peoples thinking on sponsorship, not directed to you but in general. Sponsorship is not charity, the word sponsorship should always be used as marketing if you’re talking racing.

Sponsorship (Marketing) must offer a return on the investment.

The formula for entry level open wheel racing is flawed. It is not a training ground for kids but a training ground for young marketing professionals. Race craft and marketing must be a combination to get even to the first step of racing. Then beyond the first step it is even more important.

It always seems that people expect support for a kid or a karting kid moving up to cars, and to most people the younger the better (exact opposite, IMO). Parents have been told how great the kid is in a kart and they will have a great future in cars if they can win in a kart championship or something like that. The parents buy into the sales pitch and spend massive amounts to race karts. After winning one of many hundreds of titles offered they proclaim the kid ready for cars.

The parent being told that the kid will be something one day enters open wheel and finds the same sales pitch only now the numbers have increased many times over. "The kids good, will be in F1 one day if you only …….". The parent now thinking the child has earned this sponsorship (charity) finds that there is NONE!

Then with funds gone from the family, the move is to short cut training, push harder than their talent allows and risk all for the faint chance that they will be noticed and get some charity(remember they still think it’s owed them). This will not only risk themselves and their car but also everyone else on track with them. Remember the first turn in Macau in 09, how many paid for that one driver’s mistake?

Catch is, over the season just the damage to the car will waste the budget that should have been spent training/testing/practice/instruction.

The process is flawed.

Kids should stay in school to learn marketing, hire a team that can teach (example would be Eurasia) when the team is not racing and join the local gym so they can hire a professional fitness trainer with a dedicated driver training program.

Artificial cost control does not work. Test bands increase testing cost, increase driver stress levels and add to game playing. One location race series limit the marketability of the series and of drivers that understand this is a job not a game. Subsidized tires, fuel, fees or so on will only drive up the cost to run the series, team or service. In the end subsidises are unsustainable and only hide poor planning.

Teams love racing, they are in the sport out of the passion for the sport and all you need to do is ask one for the proof. They have the same problem as the parents, racing is expensive and they need money. A team however deep the passion also is a business. The profit they make (or lose), the way they spend the money or how excessive the price is should be private and no ones business but their own. If someone doesn't like the price they should shop elsewhere. Obviously, price should be based on how good they are. Winning doesn’t mean crap at entry level, training/teaching should be what your hiring, talent (driver/team) wins.(Eurasia is an example again, their program has been slowly building for many seasons, IMO)

Maybe, what this new series needs is a feeder series. Use the same chassis for a entry level one location program. Limited to drivers without any entry’s in any formula car program. Run a program at Zhuhai and Sepang and make it a minimum requirement for entry into the new Formula Pacific series. Make this cost controlled and run the education similar to the FBMW school program. Then make a graded marketing course a mandatory class. Balance race results plus marketing grade point to find the overall yearly champion. This would be the place to put a SPONSORED (subsidized) ride for the winner of the series or two.

To end this back on point, this is the quote told to me by a mentor and friend.

"Sponsorship is a job, not charity. Charity is Charity"

Does anyone have anything on the 2011 schedule?

[Juntos]

G'Day! After gillesf post we all need David Littlemore's advice on how to survive boring lessons. With all due respect, what make you think Eurasia is more marketable than the now bankrupt house of 'Creating Asian Racing Heroes' Meritus?

[gillesf]

Sorry, I only used Eurasia as an example. I could have wrote Atlantic, Mertus, Petronas or whatever team you would like, but I bore you enough. I wrote it and used Eurasia, not your choice. Tough.

I would have removed the post if I could have. An hour after I wrote it I relized it was not going to help because everyone must be too smart for the topic. Just thought that after reading the same stuff about costs, need for sponsors and the greedy teams that maybe reality might be helpful.

Sorry it wasn't and it bore you.

[Fucithalmic]

I took a ferry with the kids to Macau last weekend to see the karting gp. Saw some team bosses of Formula Pacific teams distributing brochures & hustling for drivers. What a sight!!! I think Meritus was there & Eurasia too. I saw some guy wearing Eurointernational jackets & surprising IM's chief was also at the pits. I got a copy of Meritus's brochure, they are asking for €200k per-seat. Also saw IM's brochure lying about & they are quoting €130k per-seat. Off course they qualified themselves by saying 130k assuming 3-drivers. 130??? Where's the meat???

[Lam Pak]

meritus and im racing plan is to put the rape game in a choke hold. formula bmw teams wont live. no races in china. no sponsor interest. they go upside there wit a bottle of bub and afos will make 5 races in malaysia and 1 indonesia.

[engbmw]

Originally Posted by Juntos

G'Day! After gillesf post we all need David Littlemore's advice on how to survive boring lessons. With all due respect, what make you think Eurasia is more marketable
than the now bankrupt house of 'Creating Asian Racing Heroes' Meritus?

Bankrupt ? is that Official ?

[bothfeetin]

I took a ferry with the kids to Macau last weekend to see the karting gp. Saw some team bosses of Formula Pacific teams distributing brochures & hustling for drivers. What a sight!!! I think Meritus was there & Eurasia too. I saw some guy wearing Eurointernational jackets & surprising IM's chief was also at the pits. I got a copy of Meritus's brochure, they are asking for €200k per-seat. Also saw IM's brochure lying about & they are quoting €130k per-seat. Off course they qualified themselves by saying 130k assuming 3-drivers. 130??? Where's the meat???

Fucithalmic - Disappointing comment - how else do you think teams get drivers? And what is wrong to spend time and effort at the karting venue? I know IM and other FBMW team members were there as they also run in karting and or have drivers there - i.e. Bradley was running so it might have been why Goddard was there too; ditto with Eurointernational's Antonio; Atlantic sponsored a karter - so was somebody there? Yes - why not! And so on....

Here teams give prices to the public...seems that's not right either for you. What is it you want?
Or just filling the forum pages with your diarrhea of rumours and speculations? Where is the beef? Not in your upstairs room I guess!
Get informed, be informed and then start blubbering your thoughts in this forum or just fade away!

.....now bankrupt house of 'Creating Asian Racing Heroes' Meritus?

What is this? Are you sure? As if not - this is/could be a real damaging remark! Hope for all Asian racers, teams and organizers that this is just a unsubstantiated rumour spun out of the post season boredom of avid Forumites!

engbmw can you explain and have details?
I have not heard anything and Peter seems to be jolly and happy. And they had not a bad year, so I reckon.

[Fucithalmic]

Originally Posted by bothfeetin

Fucithalmic - Disappointing comment - how else do you think teams get drivers? And what is wrong to spend time and effort at the karting venue? I know IM and other FBMW team members were there as they also run in karting and or have drivers there - i.e. Bradley was running so it might have been why Goddard was there too; ditto with Eurointernational's Antonio; Atlantic sponsored a karter - so was somebody there? Yes - why not! And so on....

Here teams give prices to the public...seems that's not right either for you. What is it you want?
Or just filling the forum pages with your diarrhea of rumours and speculations? Where is the beef? Not in your upstairs room I guess!
Get informed, be informed and then start blubbering your thoughts in this forum or just fade away!


What is this? Are you sure? As if not - this is/could be a real damaging remark! Hope for all Asian racers, teams and organizers that this is just a unsubstantiated rumour spun out of the post season boredom of avid Forumites!

engbmw can you explain and have details?
I have not heard anything and Peter seems to be jolly and happy. And they had not a bad year, so I reckon.

Lets not get personal my friend. Do admit I could have put in nicely, I did not mean negative when I said "what a sight". I meant to say it was encouraging to see that they were actively marketting their team despite rumours of the series not happening. In a positive tone, nothing negative. The part on IM's seat quote was perhaps unwarranted. Certainly not for me to say if 130k will be sufficient to go racing. But I only hope some of our learned friends in this forum could shed some light on this matter rather than asking me to take a hike.

[bothfeetin]

Lets not get personal my friend. Do admit I could have put in nicely, I did not mean negative when I said "what a sight".

Not at all being personal - just a fair response to an article written in haste and without any thoughts in regards to how prospective drivers and parents might read from it. Not to mention the "bad" teams going after the little souls and deep pocket books of parents.

Each team has it's own scheme and accounting values, so prices will jump all over the place - free enterprise in full force! Drivers, at meetings like that, can get information, talk freely with the team person, perhaps even educate themselves how things run in the lower levels of formula racing. I for one congratulate these guys for traveling to the karting events, running around the paddocks and search for future clients.

PERHAPS even the organizer will show up there with a small booth, nice brochure, a demo car ??? and entice these karters to look into their direction and series???