Five Formula BMW Asia Scholarship drivers confirmed for 2007.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The region's premier entry-level single seater
series, Formula BMW Asia, has announced five new protégés
for the 2007 season. Youngsters from China, Hong Kong, Japan, India and
South Africa have each earned a coveted Formula BMW Asia scholarship
which includes a 50.000 USD cash contribution to the cost of the season
and enrolment in the Education & Coaching Programme, a driver
development scheme which is unrivalled in the region. The five were
selected from more than 20 hopefuls who took part in the Formula BMW
Asia Scholarship Qualifying trials at the BMW Performance Centre in
Bahrain in February. David Zhu of China is arguably the hottest
motorsport prospect ever to emerge from the world's most populous
country so far. Now 16 years-of-age, Zhu dominated the 2006 China
Formula Campus season, taking the title with a massive 20 point margin.
Ross Jamison, who has recently celebrated his 17th birthday, becomes the
first Hong Kong SAR driver to win a Formula BMW Asia scholarship.
Jamison began his career in electric karts in 2001, going on to win the
Asian Karting Open Championship and the China Senior Rotax Max
Challenge in 2005. Last year, he was named Asian International Karter
of the Year. Indian karting star Akhil Khushlani (17) was inspired by
his father, a motorcycle racer and has the distinction of being the
first Indian to secure a top five finish in the Rotax Max Junior World
Karting Championship. Karting since the age of 10, the Hyderabad-born
racer got his first taste of single seater racing in 2005 in Formula
LGB (Chennai), winning the novice cup. Like Hong Kong, Japan has this
year earned a Formula BMW Scholarship thanks to karting star Shohei
Shiromoto (17). Shiromoto was second runner-up in the 2006 All-Japan
Karting series. As the truly international series spreads its wings
even further afield, Kyle Mitchell (16) becomes the first South African
driver ever to compete in Formula BMW Asia. Mitchell began karting at
the age of 10 and was runner-up in the national championships in 2002.
In 2003, he won the Mini Max World Championships in South Africa before
injury forced him to sit out the 2004 season entirely, returning to the
sport during the following year. A late start to the season didn't
prevent him clinching the 2005 Junior Rok National Championship, and
winning a seat to represent South Africa in the Junior Rok World
Championship. He went on to clinch the title last year. For the five
Formula BMW Asia scholarship drivers, and the rest of the 2007 field,
the season gets underway with an introductory test at Sepang
International Circuit in Malaysia this weekend, with the opening four
races of the 22-round calendar starting at the same circuit in May as
part of the Asian Festival of Speed. In other Formula BMW Asia news,
2005 Rookie Cup winner Michael Patrizi of Australia has signed with the
championship-winning Prema Powerteam for the 2007 Formula 3 Euro
Series. Patrizi's Formula BMW Asia performance won him a fully-funded
season from BMW Motorsport in Formula BMW UK Championship last year,
and he is now ready to take the next step on the ladder of international
motorsport in arguably the world's most competitive Formula 3 series.
Also moving up to the Formula 3 rung this season are former Formula BMW
Asia Bahraini drivers Hamad Al Fardan and Shaikh Salman bin Rashid Al
Khalifa, champion in 2005, who will contest the British championship.
Shaikh Salman will be driving for Promatecme, while Hamad will be
contesting the championship with Performance Racing. Background:
Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level class in Formula racing.
In 2007 the series will be held in Germany, the UK, Asia and the USA.
Up-and-coming drivers as young as 15-years-old are given the opportunity
of entering motor racing with the high-tech, standard FB02 race car.
This racing car has been seen on the grid since 2002 and has set
standards particularly on the safety technology front. The
single-seater is propelled by a 140 bhp BMW engine up to 230km/h and
exceeds the FIA safety requirements for its class. BMW Motorsport has
developed the FORS Formula Rescue Race Seat especially for Formula BMW.
The HANS safety system is also mandatory. In 2007, Formula BMW will be
staged four times as part of the Formula One support programme. All
the series offer a multifaceted Education and Coaching Programme as
well as sponsorship for promising racing talents. The best-known
alumni of this talent hothouse are Formula One drivers Sebastian Vettel,
Timo Glock, Adrian Sutil and Nico Rosberg. BMW Motorsport Director,
Mario Theissen: "Formula BMW offers talented young drivers more
than just a car. In the Education and Coaching Programme we have
designed specially for them, they learn everything they need to know to
hold their own in the big wide world of motor racing. Formula BMW has
shot out of the blocks to become the top entry-level class for Formula
racing worldwide." From 24th to 26th November 2006 Valencia hosted
the second Formula BMW World Final. 37 young racing drivers from the
four international Formula BMW series competed against each other. The
winner Christian Vietoris will get a test drive with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.