Formula BMW Germany - Rounds 7 and 8 - Oschersleben

Races 7 + 8, 19-21 May 2006, Motorsportarena Oschersleben.

Marco Holzer wins tire lottery.

Oschersleben. The asphalt was still damp as the 20 Formula BMW Germany drivers
made their way out onto the Oschersleben circuit at 8:25 on Sunday morning. The
big question was whether to go with wet-weather tires or slicks - and Marco
Holzer (Bobingen/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH) guessed right. The 17-year-old BMW
World Final winner powered over the drying track as if on rails to rise from
eighth on the starting grid to the head of the field. Among the other drivers
to plump for slicks were Dominik Wasem (Seiboldsdorf/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH),
who soared from 12th at the start to an impressive second, and Jens Klingmann
(Leimen/Eifelland Racing), who transformed his 15th place on the grid into
third on the podium.

"My team convinced me to go with slicks," explained Holzer, who wrapped up his
third win of the season after back-to-back wins on the opening weekend of the
season at Hockenheim: "When I drove past the pit board on lap 9, I saw that my
team-mate Dominik was already in second. That really put a smile on my face."
Wasem's second place was his best overall result yet in Formula BMW. "What a
great race!" beamed Klingmann, meanwhile. "Exciting duels, overtaking
manoeuvres - there was some great action out there." The BMW junior driver
caught the eye as the leading rookie.

"Every lap I had a look at the pit board and slowly worked my way up through
the field. My mechanics were giving me loads of encouragement over the last few
laps - and that really fired me up," said Klingmann. His father, Bert, was
equally pleased with the result: "Wonderful! Who would have thought it!"
Fourth-placed Josef Král (CZE/Micánek Motorsport - Brno), Devis Schwägli
(CHE/Team Kath Racing) - who climbed to fifth place from last on the grid - and
Christian Zacherl (Munich/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH) in eighth were among the
other surprise packages. All three were on slicks.

Pole-position man Christian Vietoris (Lissendorf/Josef Kaufmann Racing)
suffered the same fate as many of his rivals, his wet-weather tires depriving
him of grip. The 17-year-old Kaufmann driver finished in seventh but remains in
the lead in the overall standings with five wins and 134 points. Holzer is in
second place with 79 points, ahead of Mika Mäki (FIN/Eifelland Racing, 74). In
the battle of the rookies, Philipp Eng (AUT/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, 137
points) has his nose ahead of Klingmann (112) and Patrick Kronenberger
(Friedrichshafen/Josef Kaufmann Racing, 86).

Formula BMW Germany will return to Oschersleben on 2-4 June for races 9 and 10
of the series, which will take place on the same bill as the WTCC.

Race 8, placings:
1. Marco Holzer (Bobingen/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH) 22:44.755, 2. Dominik Wasem
(Seiboldsdorf/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH) 22:49.715, 3. Jens Klingmann
(Leimen/Eifelland Racing) 23:03.629, 4. Josef Král (CZE/Micánek Motorsport -
Brno) 23:14.317, 5. Devis Schwägli (CHE/Team Kath Racing) 23:28.425, 6. Sergio
Perez Mendoza (MEX/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 23:28.581, 7. Christian Vietoris
(Lissendorf/Josef Kaufmann Racing) 23:29.032, 8. Christian Zacherl
(Munich/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH) 23:41.750, 9. Jens Höing (Berlin/GU-Racing
Motorsportteam) 23:41.933, 10. Martin Ragginger (AUT/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg)
23:45.407, 11. Nick de Bruijn (NLD/Josef Kaufmann Racing) 23:47.245, 12.
Stefano Coletti (MCO/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 23:48.796, 13. Mika Mäki
(FIN/Eifelland Racing) 23:52.543, 14. Philipp Eng (AUT/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg)
23:58.689, 15. Tobias Hegewald (Waldbreitbach/ADAC Mittelrhein) 24:00.864, 16.
Oskar Paegle (RUS/Eifelland Racing) 24:04.425, 17. Yoshitaka Kuroda (JPN/ADAC
Berlin-Brandenburg) 24:05.164, 18. Maximilian Wissel (Hörstein/GU-Racing
Motorsportteam) 24:06,547, 19. Patrick Kronenberger (Friedrichshafen/Josef
Kaufmann Racing) 24:50.555. Not classified: Fabio Leimer (CHE/Team Rosberg).
Pole Position: Vietoris. Fastest lap: Holzer 1:33.123 min. Track length: 51.338
km (14 laps).

Race 8, Rookie placings (newcomers to the formula series):
1. Jens Klingmann (Leimen/Eifelland Racing), 2. Christian Zacherl
(Munich/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH), 3. Philipp Eng (AUT/ADAC
Berlin-Brandenburg), 4. Oskar Paegle (RUS/Eifelland Racing), 5. Maximilian
Wissel (Hörstein/GU-Racing Motorsportteam), 6. Patrick Kronenberger
(Friedrichshafen/Josef Kaufmann Racing).

Championship standings after 8 out of 18 races:
1. Christian Vietoris (Lissendorf/Josef Kaufmann Racing, 134 points), 2. Marco
Holzer (Bobingen/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH, 79), 3. Mika Mäki (FIN/Eifelland
Racing, 74), 4. Stefano Coletti (MCO/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, 56), 5. Sergio
Perez Mendoza (MEX/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, 56), 6. Jens Klingmann
(Leimen/Eifelland Racing, 50), 7. Nick de Bruijn (NLD/Josef Kaufmann Racing,
45), 8. Philipp Eng (AUT/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, 39), 9. Dominik Wasem
(Seiboldsdorf/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH, 32), 10. Martin Ragginger (AUT/ADAC
Berlin-Brandenburg, 21), 11. Josef Král (CZE/Micánek Motorsport - Brno, 15),
12. Devis Schwägli (CHE/Team Kath Racing, 9), 13. Jens Höing (Berlin/GU-Racing
Motorsportteam, 9), 14. Tobias Hegewald (Waldbreitbach/ADAC Mittelrhein, 8),
15. Patrick Kronenberger (Friedrichshafen/Josef Kaufmann Racing, 8), 16.
Maximilian Wissel (Hörstein/GU-Racing Motorsportteam, 5), 17. Christian Zacherl
(Munich/AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH, 3), 18. Fabio Leimer (CHE/Team Rosberg, 3),
19. Yoshitaka Kuroda (JPN/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, 2).

Rookie standings:
1. Philipp Eng (137), 2. Jens Klingmann (112), 3. Patrick Kronenberger (86), 4.
Maximilian Wissel (68), 5. Christian Zacherl (67), 6. Fabio Leimer (58), 7.
Oskar Paegle (46), 8. Andrei Harnagea (27).

Team standings (based on the results of the two best drivers per team in each
race):
1. Josef Kaufmann Racing (182), 2. ASL-Mücke Motorsport (141), 3. Eifelland
Racing (124), 4. AM-Holzer Rennsport GmbH (111), 5. Micanek Motorsport (15), 6.
GU-Racing Motorsport (14), 7. Devis Schwägli (9), 8. Team Rosberg (3).

Background:

Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level class in Formula racing. In 2006
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 2006, 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,
Christian Klien 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 the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo
Tormo will host the second Formula BMW World Final. Young racing drivers from
the four regional Formula BMW series will compete against each other. The
winner will get a test drive with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.