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Formula BMW Pacific

Moss takes emphatic win

Formula BMW Junior Simon Moss (16/RSA/Mahara) took an emphatic win in Round 2 of Formula BMW Pacific at the Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix.

Moss crossed the line ahead of winner of Round 1, Ross Jamison (HKG/18/Meritus) with a margin of just under a second. Team E-Rain’s Sean McDonagh (18/KOR) took the remaining podium spot, despite having struggled throughout the race with a broken steering arm after he went in to Moss on the opening lap.

Pole-sitter Moss now leads the Driver and Rookie Cup classifications, with a one point lead from Jamison on the overall classification.

McDonagh’s performance this weekend puts him third, with Aditya Patel (19/IND/Eurasia Motorsport) second in the Rookie Cup standings, 4th overall.

Malaysian Melvin Moh (19/Team Holzer PFX) was back on form finishing 4th, followed by fellow countryman Arvin Roslan (18/Meritus), who was second Rookie finisher. BMW Junior Marlon Stöckinger (16/PHI/Eurasia Motorsport) took 3rd in the Rookie Cup.

Colombian youngster Gabriel Chaves (Atlantic Racing Team) showed both skill and maturity to take 6th from 9th on the grid, grabbing back a place from Imran Shaharom (19/MAS/Team Holzer PFX) late on in the race.

Yesterday’s 3rd place winner, Patel retired with a technical problems, while lady driver Tasmin Pepper (17/RSA/Meritus) also retired following an off.

Under clear skies, a dramatic change from yesterday’s waterlogged outing, the start of the 9-lap race saw Japan’s Ryuichi Nara (19/Team E-Rain) get away prematurely, and he was handed a jump start penalty. He eventually finished 11th, but he was so desperate to make amends for his error in judgement, that he set the fastest lap of the race.

The opening lap saw the coming together between McDonagh and Moss coming out of turn two, an incident the former took full responsibility for. That put McDonagh down to 4th, behind Jamison and, once Nara was given his penalty, Moss took the lead.

The battle between Moss and Jamison continued at the front of the pack, with the South African desperate to put some space between him and the more experienced Hong Kong racer. Said Moss, whose car was sporting the Springbok South African rugby team mascot on the grid: “My start was not the greatest, and I was down to 3rd, and I got a nudge out of turn two. Later on I felt much better once I had pulled a gap from Ross, and on the last lap I took it easy.”

McDonagh was frustrated not to have been able to challenge for the win, but admitted the damage to his car was his fault: “It was tough, but I made sure I stayed with the leaders. The right handers were perfect, but the left handers were a bit of a handful,” he joked.

Formula BMW Pacific returns to the Sepang International Circuit on May 17-18.

Jamison takes triumphant maiden win

Hong Kong’s Ross Jamison (17/Meritus) beat both the elements and his fellow drivers to take his first Formula BMW victory today in the opening round of Formula BMW Pacific at the Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix.

Second across the line, after the race which was shortened to eight laps due to torrential rain, was Formula BMW Junior driver Simon Moss of South Africa (16/Mahara), with Rookie Indian driver and protégé of Narain Karthikeyan, Aditya Patel (19/Eurasia Motorsport) 3rd.

The only female driver in the field, Tasmin Pepper of South Africa (17/Meritus), put in a superb performance to finish 4th.

Racing together for the first time, the region’s best fledgling talent displayed maturity beyond their years when faced with almost impossible track conditions, with spray making it almost impossible to see the road ahead. Although there were plenty of spins, only three drivers failed to finish the race.

Starting from pole, Japan’s Ryuichi Nara didn’t get away well and paid the price when Moss and Jamison came storming by both him and Sean McDonagh (18/KOR/Team E-Rain).

Moss took the lead, but Jamison seized it from him just two turns later and held it to the flag, pulling out a gap of more than 29 seconds by the finish.

Moss was full of praise for his team, particularly making the necessary changes for what was a very wet race in a short space of time: “I had a brilliant start and went from 4th to 1st. It was really intense!” Patel, meanwhile, kept his head down to record his first podium in first wet race, while Jamison was overjoyed to have got his championship campaign off to such a superb start, setting the fastest lap for good measure: “It was a good race, but the wet kept me on tip toes! I got a bit scared on a few corners I admit, but I just kept pushing as hard as I could.”

Gabriel Chaves (COL/Atlantic Racing Team), Huzair Harun Rasip (19MAS/Mahara) and Melvin Moh (19/MAS/Team Holzer PFX) fell foul of the conditions and failed to finish.
Following the race, BMW Motorsport Director Dr. Mario Theissen, along with BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica paid a visit to the teams and drivers. All three had some valuable words of advice for the youngsters, and tips of fitness and career choice, during what was a lively and good natured exchange.