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Formula BMW Europe

 Rounds 1 & 2, 8-10 May, Barcelona. Subject

Nasr Takes Victory in only his Second Car Race Weekend

The Spanish fans were given a real thriller today in Barcelona with an exciting second round to the opening weekend of Formula BMW Europe. This time on the top step of the podium was a driver who was only having his second ever car race weekend, Luiz Felipe Nasr (BR/Eurointernational). Alongside him was round one winner, Michael Christensen (DK/Mucke Motorsport) while local driver, Daniel Juncadella (ES/Eurointernational), was third.

On Sunday the polesitting Brazilian made sure he was not beaten down to the first corner by Christensen. However, he was not the only driver making a perfect start as top Rookie, Robin Frijns (ND/Josef Kaufmann Racing), was through from sixth to third and Juncadella from seventh to fourth. This remained the order until lap six when the Spaniard got by at the chicane.

While the racing was close at the front, behind there were some thrills and spills. On lap two the Rookies, George Katsinis (GR/Eifelland Racing) and Jack Te Braak (ND/Mucke Motorsport) , had a coming together with the Greek driver coming off worst as his car ended up against the barrier with a broken wing and wheel. Then a lap later it was the turn of Jazeman Jafaar (MY/Eifelland Racing) and Kazeem Manzur (GB/Josef Kaufmann Racing) to colide, with the British driver rolling his car into retirement, but the Malaysian was able to continue.

In the cooler conditions - yesterday the air was 22 and the track 33, while today the air was 18 and the track 25 - there were battles going on all the way down the field with fractions of a second splitting several groups. One battle was for 11th between Ramon Pineiro (ES/Fisichella Motor Sport International SPA) and Come Ledogar (FR/DAMS), and on home turf it was the Spaniard who came out on top.

1st: Round 2: Luiz Felipe Nasr (BR/Eurointernational): "Now I am completely happy. I did a perfect start, the first lap was really fast and then I pushed to the end of the race. The track was different, as it was a bit colder today, but my car worked really well in these conditions. It has been an amazing weekend for me and the team, a great beginning. This is the most fantastic weekend of my life."

2nd - Round 2: Michael Christensen (DK/Mucke Motorsport): "This was a good start to the season and that is the most important thing. It was a hard race for me. My plan was to try to get Felipe again at the start, but obviously he got a better one today than yesterday. I tried some other things but it didn't really work out for me. I just tried to follow him as closely as possible and try to overtake him. It was difficult to keep up with him and it was just the same gap for most of the race. I did my best and I couldn't do better than that. I think our lap times were quite equal."

3rd - Round 2: Daniel Juncadella (ES/Eurointernational): "I am happy because qualifying didn't go really well for me, so being on the podium today is great. Being at your home race and not being on the podium is really disappointing. I knew the key was the start so I got a really good one and I was focusing on that. I knew the track was much colder so many drivers could make the mistake of spinning the wheels at the start so I was really careful."

4th - Round 2: Top Rookie: Robin Frijns (ND/Josef Kaufmann Racing): "I got a really good start so that was okay. On the first few laps I was not too fast and Daniel was gaining a little, and then I made a mistake so that is why he passed me at the chicane. Anyway after a few laps behind him I was getting faster and faster and coming back to him until the last lap then my wheel went loose, so I had to slow down and that is why Javier Tarancon nearly went by me. I am happy but I want to be on that podium."

Christensen Takes First Race Win of His Formula BMW Career

It came as no surprise that the first round of Formula BMW Europe for 2009 was an exciting affair. The winner of this was Denmark's Michael Christensen (Mucke Motorsport) and joining him on the podium were Brazil's Luiz Felipe Nasr (Eurointernational) and Malaysia's Jazeman Jaafar (Eifelland Racing).

The moment the starting lights went out Christensen was ready for a fight down to the first corner with polesitter, Nasr. He won this and snatched a lead he was never to relinquish. Another driver to make a good start was top qualifying Rookie, Robin Frijns (Josef Kaufmann Racing). The young Dutch driver started fourth and was third by the end of lap one in front of Javier Tarancon (DAMS) and Jaafar. However, on lap six Jaafar, who started from sixth, was on the move after overtaking local hero, Tarancon, and his next victim was Frijns for the final podium position.

There was some early action with the Safety Car deployed at the end of lap three while the marshals recovered the stranded car of Olivier Lombard (Eurointernational) who had tangled with the car of fellow Rookie, Jack Te Braak (Mucke Motorsport ). Unfortunately this was not a good race either for Motaworld Racing Europe Ltd, as Mikkel Mac had a coming together with his team-mate, Chinese guest driver Hu An Zhu, who had to retire with no rear wing.

The racing proved close and by the end of the 13 laps Christensen only had a lead of point six of a second. Frijns was the Rookie winner having set an impressive string of fastest lap times in the middle of the race. However, this honour finally went to Nasr on lap ten.

1st - Round 1: Michael Christensen (DK/Mucke Motorsport): "The race was great for me. I made a good start and after that I made a move on Nasr and then didn't see much of him afterwards. I just tried to do as good a race as possible without any mistakes. I knew there was going to be pressure at the Safety Car re- start, but I held my line and beat him into the corner. What more can I say as it was perfect for me to win this race, which is my first outright win in this series."

2nd: Round 1: Luiz Felipe Nasr (BR/Eurointernational): "For me the start was not that good, but it was a good result for my first race in Europe. It would have been nice to win, but I am quite happy and so let's see what I can do at the start of the race tomorrow. I think I have a good car but we have to try and set it up for the beginning of the race, because it was then that I wasn't so fast. But the conclusion was good for me so I am happy."

3rd - Round 1: Jazeman Jaafar (MY/Eifelland Racing): "It was quite a good day as I started from sixth. | had a tough fight with Frijns and Tarancon, but managed a podium spot so am quite happy. I managed to catch up to Frijns after the Safety Car and I was up to him by the end of the straight. I never stopped pushing from the start of the race. We will see what happens tomorrow and hope for a good result."

4th - Round 1:Top Rookie: Robin Frijns (ND/Josef Kaufmann Racing): "I had pressure from Tarancon at the start who had less wing than me. He was pretty fast on the straight, but slow on the corners. I was always defending on the straight. I had a few fast lap times but could not pass Nasr as he was too fast on the straights. The car felt really good. Tomorrow I start sixth and my aim is to finish in the top five."