Formula BMW have announced that the 2010 scholarship trials will take place at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia on September 1-2 this year. Winners will receive a Euro 50,000 scholarship towards the cost of the 2010 season. Participants should contact Eurasia Motorsport immediately for details of our scholarship development program which gives drivers the best possible chance of gaining a scholarship.
Eurasia Motorsport have conducted coaching at Sepang for several successful scholarship recipients and with limited track time available at Sepang potential candidates should contact us as soon as possible. E mail Mark Goddard at mark@eurasiamotorsport.com for details.
Drivers aged between 16-21, who have not previously participated in any international car race series and no more than 10 car national meetings, are eligible to compete for a scholarship. However, the trial, which gives all young drivers an important assessment and driver training from BMW Motorsport professionals, is open to all.
An early-bird registration fee of Euro €2,600, which covers the cost of everything except transportation and accommodation, is available until July 1, after which the cost is Euro €2,900. For entry forms and information on scholarship eligibility, potential applicants should contact Formula BMW Pacific Series Manager Mark Turner (mark.turner@partner.formulabmw.com).
For drivers ineligible for a scholarship, due to age or experience, the training and assessment programme provides a valuable opportunity to receive expert tuition and guidance. The programme also provides those preparing to enter the region’s premier single seater entry series with an introduction to the FB02 racing car.
While five graduates of Formula BMW in Europe, where the formula has been established for longer than in Asia-Pacific, are already competing in Formula One, alumni and Juniors from this region are busy working their way up the career ladder of international motorsport.
Former Formula BMW Pacific Junior Daniel Ricciardo is currently fast making a name for himself in British Formula 3. The 19-year old was selected as a Formula BMW Pacific Junior for the 2006 season, where the Australian placed second in the Rookie Cup and third overall in the Drivers Classification with Eurasia Motorsport.
That year Ricciardo rounded off a brilliant debut season by not only finishing in the top five in the Formula BMW World Final, but also picking up a special achievement award in Valencia, Spain. Beating both the Formula BMW UK and USA series winners to finish 5th in the World Final, organisers judged his performance throughout the weekend to be exceptional in sportsmanship and in driving discipline and style.
Fast forward to 2009, and Ricciardo is currently considered one to watch in British Formula 3, after winning three out of the season’s first four starts and impressing throughout winter testing. Ricciardo praises the grounding he received in F.BMW from Eurasia Motorsport and counts it as part of his subsequent success.
Other former Formula BMW Juniors from the region are currently furthering their international motorsport careers. India’s Armaan Ebrahim, a Junior in 2005, competed in the 2008 season of GP2 Asia. Ebrahim has also been a Team India A1GP driver and has competed in the Formula Renault V6 series. Fellow 2005 Junior Michael Patrizi of Australia is competing in the popular V8 Supercar Championship, while 2006 Junior Aaron Lim, also of Eurasia Motorsport, has been given the honour of representing Malaysia in A1GP. More recently, 2007 Junior Ross Jamison of Hong Kong won the 2008 Formula BMW Pacific title in convincing fashion.
As the influence of the Asia Pacific region continues to grow in the world of top-level motorsport, the development of the region’s own talent becomes increasingly important. Formula BMW Pacific not only recognizes this imperative, but continues to lead the charge
