Formula BMW - Donington

Ian Sowman · 10 Apr 2005, 10:14 (Ref:1274519)

Well done to Matt Howson on victory in the opening FBMW round at Donington Park today, with a brand new team too...

Dr Venom · 10 Apr 2005, 10:33 (Ref:1274535)

what happened to the motaworld car that was on pole

Kicking-back · 10 Apr 2005, 10:39 (Ref:1274540)

He spun off from the lead.

Dr Venom · 10 Apr 2005, 10:42 (Ref:1274541)

that's a shame.
thanks kb

Zurich · 10 Apr 2005, 12:07 (Ref:1274663)

Was a mad race, they were hitting each other quicker than I could write the numbers down.

Antunes had it won, but stuck it in the wrong gear on entry to the Old Hairpin, locked rear tyres and spun off. Sorlie & Curnow had a good scrap for 2nd.

**Adam43** · 10 Apr 2005, 16:11 (Ref:1274777)

Great start to the second race. Everyone just dived to the inside line

And now overtaking past losts of marshals at the start of the second lap.

I love the squealy tyre noise.

**Adam43** · 10 Apr 2005, 16:14 (Ref:1274783)

Red flag. One of the cars is upside down. Everyone is OK, but after seeing those first few laps I am suprised that there is only one car upside down!

Steevp · 10 Apr 2005, 16:16 (Ref:1274785)

The slow motion just showed how stong those cars are.. lucky.

Dr Venom · 10 Apr 2005, 19:09 (Ref:1274930)

anyone going to post the result........ as MST are a bit tits up today, i can't.

Dr Venom · 10 Apr 2005, 19:26 (Ref:1274946)

I've Done the donkey work myself,

Race 1
Matt Howson
Ross Currnow
Stan Sorlie
Sam Bird
Richard Keen
Dean Smith

Race 2
Nathan Antunes
Richard Keens
Sam Bird
Matt Howson
Ross Curnow
Dean Smith

sorry if i got the spellings wrong

Alan Green · 10 Apr 2005, 20:55 (Ref:1275012)

Driver of the upside-down car (Mr Osborne) was shaken but ok, and came down to see the marshals at Redgate to say thanks for the assistance, which was a nice touch.

Anyone have photos?

Al.

rdjones · 11 Apr 2005, 07:42 (Ref:1275256)

I was at Redgate for the BTCC race Al, but I decided to head for home just before the BMW's start so I missed it. But as for the 1st race it was OK, I bet the chap in the Motorworld car was gutted as it looked like he had it in the bag before he spun out.

Dr Venom · 11 Apr 2005, 09:11 (Ref:1275296)

nathan antunes could be the find of the season, anyone know anything about this young man from OZ.

Gaz · 11 Apr 2005, 09:52 (Ref:1275332)

Was going to ask about him, what an awesome debut....and in the unfancied Motaworld car...with no team mate for back up!

Have to say now and again you know you've just witnessed a star being born, one that could go all the way...and in my opinion that was Antunes yesterday. He beat comprohensively so many established runners! Should have won the first race by a country mile as well but for either a mistake/brake problem...havn't heard what it was yet, no confirmation.

Is he Australia's next big hope then!? Come on you Aussie's your always happy to spout off about guys that aren't half as good as this geezer seems!

mitchie · 11 Apr 2005, 11:09 (Ref:1275387)

Wholy smokes, Antunes raced in the NSW Formula Ford series and finished 6th last year after doing karting before that.

Was a bit of a surprise to read that he was over there, and now the top results. All the best to him

Zurich · 11 Apr 2005, 11:14 (Ref:1275391)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaz

Have to say now and again you know you've just witnessed a star being born, one that could go all the way...and in my opinion that was Antunes yesterday. He beat comprohensively so many established runners!

I wouldn't go that far, BMW seems to be full of kids that haven't all learned how to drive a racing car yet. I think it's more than a little premature to suggest that any of them could 'go all the way'.

Quote:

Should have won the first race by a country mile as well but for either a mistake/brake problem...havn't heard what it was yet, no confirmation.

It was a mistake, he selected 5th on the way into the Old Hairpin, locked the rear tyres under braking and spun into the gravel.

whatapalaver · 11 Apr 2005, 11:39 (Ref:1275404)

I was marshalling at Starkeys Bridge yesterday when Master Antunes come to visit. He lost it going into the Old Hairpin, spun across the track and come to rest on the grass having missed everything and everyone. The car had stalled and would not restart, and was moved to safety.

You could hear the driver swearing in the car, but he was very polite to the marshalls, and of course the car fired up once the race was over.

He controlled the 2nd race very nicely, and even waved his thanks to us at the finish.

One to watch.

Gaz · 11 Apr 2005, 13:42 (Ref:1275494)

Ah, I hadn't heard anything reliable...just watched the race back this morning and that was what was on the commentary.

I realise this is a very junior formulae but to come in first race in the UK and this formulae, on a circuit you don't know, with an unfancied team and whip the asses of a lot of experienced racers proves he's something special.

I know its early days and we'll wait and see how the season pans out but that certainly impressed me yesterday. And as many of you know, i take a lot of impressing

Hepatic · 11 Apr 2005, 14:47 (Ref:1275558)

Was it just me, or did the F-BMW boys seem down-right dangerous? I don't know what the marshals on the startline thought, but i was horrified to see them screaming down the straight whilst they were trackside. I was in that situation last week with the F3's and it gets your adrenaline pumping seeing a field come past you whilst clearing a wreckage up, but to have (ssemingly) no one slowing down and even trying to pass is just ludicrous.

Don't get me wrong, the racing (when it was clean) was great to watch, but there was far too much wheel-banging and barging for an open-wheel formula. Twice i saw people being literally driven on to the grass at over 100mph. Please lets hope they all calm down before someone is seriously hurt.

bigted · 11 Apr 2005, 18:03 (Ref:1275723)

i think they were downright dangerous, not only when the marshals were clearing up, but also when they were racing they were literally pushing each other down the straight like bump drafting on an oval!

Xfiles · 12 Apr 2005, 01:56 (Ref:1275966)

Fantastic effort by young Nathan Antunes, congratulations.
this kid has competed in karting for a few years and then did state level formula ford for one year. Showing great promise, hope he continues to go well.

ukracing · 12 Apr 2005, 09:51 (Ref:1276126)

For the first time in the UK we have a single seater championship that is exciting to watch and also is more entertaining than anything else on the calendar!

Porsches are processional, only 11 touring cars, formula renault which is just so boaring u fall alseep and the seats which aint much cop! The only thing to rival FBMW is the clios!

I dont disagree that some of the racing might seems idiotic but there only juniors their first year in single seaters. Give them a break its actually worth the entrance money more than anything else on the package!

JonJ · 12 Apr 2005, 11:03 (Ref:1276173)

Well as a marshal on the main straight I can tell you it was ridiculous how they were coming over the startline on the first few laps. I wan't trackside when they came past, but was more than a little concerned for the other marshals. And even when the mashals were clear, there was still a car broadside to the track, virtually on it, and they were still coming through 3 a breast.

And two of the cars WERE pushing each other down the track, I think they were the two that ended up in redgates!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukracing

I dont disagree that some of the racing might seems idiotic but there only juniors their first year in single seaters. Give them a break its actually worth the entrance money more than anything else on the package!

Being junior is no excuse for how they were coming down the main straight on the first few laps, the accident that stopped the session was always going to happen. They should know that waved yellow flags mean back off, and I'm sure they could see a stationary car and a bunch of marshals where they shouldn't be.

But i agree that race did provide some of the best racing, once they cooled down abit after the restart!

acf8181 · 12 Apr 2005, 14:28 (Ref:1276388)

wioth the incident on the start-finish staright there wasn't much in the way of yellow flags (they should have had a safety car out IMO), and being tucked up behind another car it would have been all too easy for one driver to mis them. i did hold my breath, but don't think it was totally the driver in the wrong there (not saying it was marshalls tho, i think race stewards shoudl have had the SC out before then)

but in general....all the fbmw drivers were total physcos!

**Adam43** · 12 Apr 2005, 14:53 (Ref:1276403)

Well 'racing' comes from overtaking and most overtaking comes from mistakes. In junior or amateur racing there are more mistakes - less consistency. Therefore it will produce a lot of racing. It is good fun to watch, although for me goes a little too far. The overtaking of Muller by Neal at McLeans was far more impressive and worth several moves in FBMW IMHO. As I say it was fun to watch and very amusing - especially the start where everyone dived to the inside line

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