Formula BMW UK Championship - Rounds 19 and 20 - Brands Hatch - Race

Smith is Champion and Hankey wins Rookie Cup.

Brands Hatch, 2 October, 2005. Dean Smith (Nexa Racing) is the new Formula BMW
UK Champion after winning the title as he crossed the finishing line for the
final race of the series. Meanwhile Euan Hankey (Barwell Racing) made sure of
his Rookie Cup Trophy by winning this in race one.

At the start of the weekend Dean was not the favourite for the title as he was
17 points behind Sam Bird (Fortec Motorsport), but after Sam retired from race
one, following a collision with Oliver Turvey (Team SWR Loctite), he was only
two points behind. Dean then went on to win race two and with Sam second the
title went to the 17-year-old from Wolverhampton. Euan had been in a stronger
position as he came to Brands Hatch 29 points ahead of Michael Meadows (Master
Motorsport), and second in the Rookie class in race one was enough to give him
his title.

Matt Howson (Filsell Motorsport) won the first race of the day with Dean Smith
second and Oliver Turvey third, and kept his championship hopes alive until he
damaged his front wing in race two and so left the battle to the other two. The
third place on the podium in race two went to Niall Breen (Barwell Motorsport)
after a storming drive from 11th on the grid.

Dean, who is the only driver to score points in all rounds of the series,
commented: "This feels fantastic and I want to thank the team for the amazing
job they have done for me. I was lucky to come here without the pressure Sam
had and being relaxed helped me. I have to admit the last four laps of the race
were difficult as I could feel myself getting tired and felt that Sam could
still catch me." Sam was magnanimous in defeat saying: "Congratulations to Dean
as he is a worthy champion. In that last race I just didn't have the power down
the straight and my car didn't have the legs to catch Dean. I am disappointed
and feel that at some points this season I was just unlucky."

Euan was very happy to be able to relax in race two, and after winning the
title in race one said: "I had to keep a steady pace in the race and more or
less cruise as finishing assured me of the title. I came up behind James
Wingfield and held station while watching Dominique Cauvin who was behind me.
Luckily I kept there and the title was mine."

Fortec Motorsport has won the Formula BMW UK Team Trophy but this was decided
at Silverstone. They only failed to score points in one race and had three
one-two finishes during the season - the only other team to have one was Team
SWR Loctite.

In race one Matt Howson made the most of being on pole and led the cars from
start to finish. Sam slotted in behind him and Oliver Turvey into third. On the
first lap Lars Viljoen (Team SWR Loctite) and Joe Osborne (Nexa Racing) went
off at Druids and when Duarte Felix da Costa (Carlin Motorsport) joined them on
lap two the Safety Car was deployed so the cars could be moved. Once the Safety
Car came in at the end of lap seven the racing resumed with Oliver pressuring
Sam. This battle was resolved on lap ten when Sam spun off leaving Matt a
second and a half ahead of Dean. The next casualty at the front was Simon
Walker-Hansell (Carlin Motorsport) who went off from third, so letting Oliver
take the final podium place. In the Rookie class it was Jonathan Legris who
took the win with Euan in second.

For race two polesitter Nathan Antunes (Motaworld Racing) made a good start and
led into the first corner, however, by the time the cars came round for the end
of lap one it was Dean Smith who was leading despite a bent front wing. Sam was
in third behind Nathan but then on lap two moved into second after the most
amazing piece of avoidance when Nathan spun in front of him. The man on the
move was Sam's team-mate, Stian Sørlie, who was setting fastest laps and even
overtook Sam on lap six. However, this was short lived as he stopped on the
side of the track a lap later. Dean was gradually pulling away from Sam and by
the time the chequered flag came out for the first time this year he was over
seven seconds ahead. In the Rookie class Joe Osborne (Nexa Racing) led from the
start, but then went wide on the last lap letting Michael Meadows take the win.

Results - Race - Round 19 - 15 laps.

1 Matt Howson (GBR) (Filsell Motorsport) 25:24.130
2 Dean Smith (GBR) (Nexa Racing) 25:24.838
3 Oliver Turvey (GBR) (Team SWR Loctite) 25:27.355
4 Ross Curnow (GBR) (Promatecme/Soper Sport) 25:30.405
5 Jonathan Legris (GBR) (Mark Burdett Motorsport) R 25:34.707
6 Chris Holmes (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 25:35.658
7 Jordan Wise (GBR) (Nexa Racing) 25:36.152
8 Niall Breen (IRE) (Barwell Motorsport) 25:38.252
9 Michael Meadows (GBR) (Master Motorsport) R 25:38.714
10 James Wingfield (GBR) (Motaworld Racing) 25:41.969
11 Euan Hankey (GBR) (Barwell Motorsport) R 25:42.421
12 Dominique Cauvin (F) (Motaworld Racing) R 25:44.178
13 Matt Harris (GBR) (Team SWR Loctite) 25:44.468

Not classified
Simon Walker-Hansell (GBR) (Carlin Motorsport) 12 laps
Nathan Antunes (AUS) (Motaworld Racing) 11 laps
Stian Sørlie (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 10 laps
Sam Bird (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 9 laps
Duarte Felix da Costa (GBR) (Carlin Motorsport) 2 laps
Joe Osborne (GBR) (Nexa Racing) R 0 laps
Lars Viljoen (GBR) (Team SWR Loctite) 0 laps

Fastest Lap:
Dean Smith (Nexa Racing) 1 min 29.323secs, 97.65mph, 157.15kph.

Pole Position:
Matt Howson (Filsell Motorsport) 1 min 29.271secs, 97.71mph

Results - Race - Round 20 - 12 laps.

1 Dean Smith (GBR) (Nexa Racing) 18:12.371
2 Sam Bird (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 18:21.168
3 Niall Breen (IRE) (Barwell Motorsport) 18:25.970
4 Ross Curnow (GBR) (Promatecme/Soper Sport) 18:30.975
5 Simon Walker-Hansell (GBR) (Carlin Motorsport) 18:30.976
6 Jordan Wise (GBR) (Nexa Racing) 18:30.986
7 Nathan Antunes (AUS) (Motaworld Racing) 18:32.997
8 Michael Meadows (GBR) (Master Motorsport) R 18:33.794
9 Chris Holmes (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 18:33.806
10 Euan Hankey (GBR) (Barwell Motorsport) R 18:34.007
11Joe Osborne (GBR) (Nexa Racing) R 18:34.757
12 Jonathan Legris (GBR) (Mark Burdett Motorsport) R 18:34.911
13 James Wingfield (GBR) (Motaworld Racing) 18:37.507
14 Lars Viljoen (GBR) (Team SWR Loctite) 18:57.968
15 Matt Howson (GBR) (Filsell Motorsport) 11 laps
16 Oliver Turvey (GBR) (Team SWR Loctite) 11 laps
17 Duarte Felix da Costa (GBR) (Carlin Motorsport) 11 laps

Not classified
Dominique Cauvin (F) (Motaworld Racing) R 9 laps
Stian Sørlie (GBR) (Fortec Motorsport) 7 laps
Matt Harris (GBR) (Team SWR Loctite) 2 laps

Fastest Lap:
Oliver Turvey (Team SWR Loctite) 1 min 29.477secs, 97.48mph, 156.88kph.

Pole Position:
Nathan Antunes (Motaworld Racing) 1 min 38.808secs, 88.28mph

Indicates driver eligible for Rookie Cup

Championship Points Tables
Drivers1. Smith (3 wins) 221, 2. Bird (6 wins) 218, 3. Howson (4 wins) 189, 4.
Sørlie (3 wins) 153, 5. Curnow (1 win) 127, 5. Walker Hansell (1 win) 118, 7.
Antunes (1 win) 105, 8. Turvey 103, 9. Wise 79, 10. Felix da Costa 64, 11.
Breen 49, 12. Hankey 38, 13. Keen 33, 14. Meadows 32, 15. Harris (1 win) 29,
16. Legris 22, 17. Holmes 9, 18=. Viljoen and Cauvin 6, 20. Osborne 5, 21,
Steele 4, 22. Leon 3, 23=. Goldstraw, Macleod, Rees 2, 26. Wingfield 1.

Rookies
1. Hankey (6 wins) 258, 2. Meadows (6 wins) 237, 3. Legris (5 win) 224, 4.
Osborne (1 win) 177, 5. Cauvin (1 win) 149, 6. Steele (1 win) 133, 7. Hoy 40.

Teams
1. Fortec Motorsport 380, 2. Nexa Racing 303, 3. Filsell Motorsport 191, 4.
Carlin Motorsport 182, 5. Team SWR Loctite 171, 6. Promatecme/Soper Sport 127,
7. Motaworld Racing 112, 8. Barwell Motorsport 87, 9. Master Motorsport 32,
10. Mark Burdett Motorsport 14, 11. Pegasus Motorsport International 13, 12,
Formula Racing Ltd 4.

Key Facts

Winners: Sam Bird 6, Matt Howson 4, Stian Sørlie 3, Dean Smith 3, Nathan
Antunes 1, Simon Walker-Hansell 1, Matt Harris 1, Ross Curnow 1.

Pole Positions: Sam Bird 8, Nathan Antunes 3, Matt Howson 3, Dean Smith 2,
Stian Sorlie 2, Simon Walker-Hansell 1, Oliver Turvey 1.

Podiums: Sam Bird 11, Matt Howson 10, Dean Smith 10, Stian Sørlie 6, Oliver
Turvey 6, Nathan Antunes 4, Ross Curnow 4, Simon Walker-Hansell 3, Niall Breen
2, Richard Keen 1, Jordan Wise 1, Duarte Felix da Costa 1, Matt Harris 1.

Rookie Wins: Euan Hankey 6, Michael Meadows 6, Jonathan Legris 5, Dominique
Cauvin 1, Aaron Steele 1, Joe Osborne 1.

Rookie Podiums: Euan Hankey 14, Michael Meadows 12, Jonathan Legris 11,
Dominique Cauvin 8, Joe Osborne 8, Aaron Steele 5, Ed Hoy 1.

Background:

Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level class in Formula racing. In 2005
the series will be held in Germany, Britain, 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 by far the 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 2005, Formula BMW will be staged five 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 Ralf Schumacher and
Christian Klien.

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 13th to 16th December 2005 the Bahrain International Circuit will host the
first Formula BMW World Final. Young racing drivers from the four regional
Formula BMW series will compete against each other. The winner will get a
Formula One test drive.