Formula BMW Asia - Round 12 - Oita - Race

Title one step closer for Al Khalifa.

Oita, Japan - Salman Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain) moved one step closer to the
2005 Formula BMW Asia title today taking victory Round 12 at the 4.6km
Autopolis Circuit in Japan. Second was BMW Junior Michael Patrizi (AUS/Team
Meritus), with fellow Junior Armaan Ebrahim (IND/Team E-Rain), third, taking
his second podium finish this season.

With just two rounds of the season remaining, Al Khalifa has increased his lead
at the top of the championship standings to 29 points ahead of Patrizi who
jumps to second on the leaderboard in the Driver Classification after his two
second-place finishes this weekend, and who now also tops the Rookie Cup
standings. Hamed Al Fardan (BAH/Team Meritus) is third in the championship
standings, despite having had a weekend he would probably rather forget.
Charlie-Ro Charlez (MAS/Team Meritus), fourth in the standings and second in
the Rookie Cup classification, completes the list of four drivers still in
contention for the title with two rounds remaining.

Al Khalifa, being from the Middle East and therefore not accustomed to racing
in the wet, learned much from the first wet race of the day, but also gave
credit to chief engineer Patrick Roberts for making a change to the set up, one
which the Bahraini believes gave him the best set up of the car. Patrizi and
Ebrahim were a true credit to the series, fighting a fair, clean and
nail-biting battle which both youngsters enjoyed. Said Patrizi: "It was my
toughest race in a long time. Armaan is very quick. He's only 16, has a lot
of talent, and there's much more to come from him."

Weather conditions continued to deteriorate after the morning race as Typhoon
Nabi moved closer to the area, and the fixture was moved forward to try and
avoid the forecast torrential rain. However, the high altitude of the
Autopolis Circuit meant the visibility was severely reduced and the rain
continued. Therefore, the 10-lap race was started under the Safety Car as a
precaution and it led the field for the first two laps.

Once racing got underway, pole man Hamed Al Fardan led the pack before the
slippery track got the better of him and he spun off. He was able to rejoin
the race and heroically finished fourth. Rookie Cup leader going in to Round
12, Charlez, was forced to retire with a technical problems, while Aaron Lim
(MAS/Minardi Team Asia) and BMW Junior Robert Boughey (THA/Team Meritus) were
involved in an incident shortly after the Safety Car pulled off, putting both
out of the race.

As Al Khalifa concentrated on pulling away a comfortable lead, the focus was
firmly on Patrizi and Ebrahim and their fascinating game of cat and mouse, with
the Australian holding off the young Indian despite his best efforts. Both
drivers enjoyed their sparring, as did the spectators.

Jordanian newcomer, Hamza Dirani (Team Meritus) acquitted himself well in his
Formula BMW Asia debut and first ever weekend of single seater competition,
finishing both Round 11 and 12 in seventh position.

Al Khalifa is confident of taking the Formula BMW Asia title in Shanghai next
month, when the final two rounds of the 2005 season are support events to
China's Formula 1 Grand Prix on October 15 and 16. "There will be a lot of
pressure in front of the Formula 1 circus," he said. However, Ebrahim got
naturedly disputed this, saying: "I think there'll be more pressure from the
grid!" Either way, the stakes will be high as the series reaches its
spectacular climax in the world's most populous country.

Background:

Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level class in Formula racing. In 2005
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 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."

In 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.

Round 12 Results.

POS NO Driver/Nat Entrant Time
1 7 Salman Rashid AL KHALIFA (BAH) Team E-Rain 24:14.250
2 29 •*Michael Tony PATRIZI (AUS) Team Meritus +5.110
3 17 •*Armaan EBRAHIM (IND) Team E-Rain +5.257
4 38 Hamed AL FARDAN (BAH) Team Meritus +6.334
5 22 Jonathan CHAN (HKG) Minardi Team Asia +27.496
6 61 •*AN Suk-Won (KOR) Team E-Rain +37.151
7 99 #Hamza DIRANI (JOR) Team Meritus +44.717
8 58 Mitsunobu ENDO (JPN) Team Meritus +59.755
9 9 •*WANG Jian-Wei (CHN) Ao's Racing Team +1:14.708
DNF 88 •Charlie-Ro CHARLEZ (MAS) Team Meritus -
DNF 23 #AO Chi Hong (MAC) Ao's Racing Team -
DNF 2 •Aaron LIM Say Joon (MAS) Minardi Team Asia -
DNF 68 *Robert BOUGHEY (THA) Team Meritus -
*Scholarship driver
•Rookie Cup
# Non-Series Registered

Pole Position: Hamed Al Fardan/BAH/Team Meritus/1:55.112

Fastest Lap: Hamed Al Fardan/BAH/Team Meritus/2:15.602/124.087km/h

Formula BMW Asia Points Standings after Round 12:
1.Salman Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain) 156 points, 2. Michael Patrizi (AUS/Team
Meritus) 127 points, 3. Hamed Al Fardan (BAH/Team Meritus) 126 points, 4.
Charlie-Ro Charlez (MAS/Team Meritus) 119 points, 5.Armaan Ebrahim (IND/Team
E-Rain) 102 points, 6.Robert Boughey (THA/Team Meritus) 84 points, 7.An
Suk-Won (KOR/Team E-Rain) 78 points, 8.Aaron Lim (MAS/Minardi Team Asia) 64
points, 9.Jonathan Chan (HKG/Minardi Team Asia) 35 points,10. Mitsunobu Endo
(JPN/Team Meritus) 26 points, 11. Wang Jian-Wei (CHN/Ao's Racing Team) 18
points, 12. Dejan de Zoysa (SRI/Minardi Team Asia) 17 points.

Rookie Cup Standings after Round 12:
1. Michael Patrizi 173 points, 2. Charlie-Ro Charlez 164 points, 3.Armaan
Ebrahim 134 points, 4.An Suk Won 124 points, 5.Aaron Lim 91 points, 6.Wang
Jian-Wei 62 points, 7.Dejan de Zoysa 40 points.

Statistics:

Winners 2005: Al Khalifa (6), Boughey (1), Ebrahim (1), Al Fardan (3), Patrizi
(1)

Pole Positions: Al Khalifa (8), Michael Patrizi (3), Charlie-Ro Charlez (3),
Hamed Al Fardan (1).

Podiums: Al Khalifa (8), Charlez (7), Boughey (2), Al Baharna (1), Patrizi (7),
Al Fardan (6), Ebrahim (2), An Suk Won (2), Lim (1).

Championship Points:
1.Salman Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain) 156 points, 2. Michael Patrizi (AUS/Team
Meritus) 127 points, 3. Hamed Al Fardan (BAH/Team Meritus) 126 points, 4.
Charlie-Ro Charlez (MAS/Team Meritus) 119 points, 5.Armaan Ebrahim (IND/Team
E-Rain) 102 points.

Rookie Cup Winners: Charlez (4), Ebrahim (2) Patrizi (6).

Rookie Cup Points: 1. Michael Patrizi 173 points, 2. Charlie-Ro Charlez 164
points, 3.Armaan Ebrahim 134 points.