Formula BMW - Round 14 - Shanghai - Race

Al Khalifa crowned Formula BMW Asia Champion in Shanghai.

Shanghai, China - Bahrain's Salman Al Khalifa (Team E-Rain) clinched the 2005
Formula BMW Asia Driver Championship after a season which saw him take six wins
and seven pole positions. The 24-year-old needed just two points going in to
the final round and his 5th place finish in the 10-lap race was enough to
clinch the title.

First across the line in the eventful race was BMW Junior Michael Patrizi
(AUS/Team Meritus), who clinched the Rookie Cup title in the process, while
fellow Junior and pole-sitter Armaan Ebrahim (IND/Team E-Rain) was second, with
Aaron Lim (MAS/Minardi Team Asia) taking the final podium position.

Al Khalifa finished the season on 172 points, 15 ahead of Patrizi, while Hamed
Al Fardan's (BAH/Team Meritus) ill-luck in the final round meant he finished
3rd on the leaderboard with 148. In the Rookie Cup, Patrizi's win today put
him 13 points clear of nearest challenger Charlie-Ro Charlez (MAS/Team
Meritus), while Ebrahim was 3rd.

In the race, winner of Round 13, Al Fardan got a blinding start off the grid
from 3rd to take the lead, with Patrizi going in to second, and from then on
the pair embarked in a furious chase, coming together at one point with both
sustaining damage. Behind them, Ebrahim was in a battle of his own with
Charlie-Ro Charlez (MAS/Team Meritus), while Al Khalifa was fighting his
instinct to move through the field, and stayed back in 7th - and out of trouble.

After Charlez dropped back to 6th, Ebrahim concentrated on closing in on the
leaders, but wasn't able to challenge by the chequered flag. However, in
keeping with a season which has been high on drama throughout, the final lap
saw Al Fardan's chances dashed by a puncture which put him down to 9th place.
Patrizi then went through to take the win followed home by Ebrahim and Lim.

All the Formula BMW Asia Drivers acquitted themselves well in front of the
Formula 1 fraternity, producing exciting - yet mature - racing which was a
credit to Asian motorsport.

Al Khalifa had fought his instincts superbly, and was relieved and delighted to
have clinched the title he has been working towards all year: "There's a time
you have to be smart and not greedy (for wins). It's a very difficult thing to
do, but I just brought myself down and am glad it all worked out. It was a
very advanced field this year and we were very equal, which is why the
championship went down to the wire. I'm grateful to all the other drivers for
being so hungry, which really kept me on top."

After two seasons in Formula BMW Asia, Al Khalifa is looking to take the next
step in his motorsport career with a move next season to either the British or
Euroseries Formula 3 championships.

BMW Motorsport Director, Mario Theissen: "It was an exciting 2005 Formula BMW
Asia season. Congratulations to the champion, Salman Al Khalifa. I am looking
forward to seeing him at the Formula BMW World Final in Bahrain in December!"

In the Team Classification, it was Team Meritus who once again triumphed with
414 points, while Al Khalifa's Team E-Rain was runner up on 339.

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 was 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 14 Results.

POS NO Driver/Nat Entrant Time
1 29 •*Michael Tony PATRIZI (AUS) Team Meritus 22:17.266
2 17 •*Armaan EBRAHIM (IND) Team E-Rain +0.801
3 2 •Aaron LIM Say Joon (MAS) Minardi Team Asia +4.509
4 61 •*AN Suk-Won (KOR) Team E-Rain +4.847
5 7 Salman Rashid AL KHALIFA (BAH) Team E-Rain +9.471
6 88 •Charlie-Ro CHARLEZ (MAS) Team Meritus +13.102
7 68 *Robert BOUGHEY (THA) Team Meritus +13.498
8 22 Jonathan CHAN (HKG) Minardi Team Asia +14.440
9 38 Hamed AL FARDAN (BAH) Team Meritus +21.701
10 99 #Hamza DIRANI (JOR) Team Meritus +28.325
11 58 Mitsunobu ENDO (JPN) Team Meritus +33.828
12 9 •*WANG Jian-Wei (CHN) Ao's Racing Team +35.754
13 5 #SONG Ge (CHN) Ao's Racing Team +67.058
14 23 #AO Chi Hong (MAC) Ao's Racing Team DNS
*Scholarship driver
•Rookie Cup
# Non-Series Registered

Pole Position: Michael Patrizi/AUS/Team Meritu/2:17.266
Fastest Lap: Michael Patrizi/AUS/Team Meritu/2:12.155/148.489kph

Formula BMW Asia Final Points Standings.
1.Salman Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain) 172 points, 2. Michael Patrizi (AUS/Team
Meritus) 157 points, 3. Hamed Al Fardan (BAH/Team Meritus) 148, 4. Charlie-Ro
Charlez (MAS/Team Meritus) 140 points, 5.Armaan Ebrahim (IND/Team E-Rain) 129
points, 6.Robert Boughey (THA/Team Meritus) 94 points, 7.An Suk-Won (KOR/Team
E-Rain) 90 points, 8.Aaron Lim (MAS/Minardi Team Asia) 80 points, 9.Jonathan
Chan (HKG/Minardi Team Asia) 41 points,10. Mitsunobu Endo (JPN/Team Meritus) 27
points, 11. Wang Jian-Wei (CHN/Ao's Racing Team) 19 points, 12. Dejan de Zoysa
(SRI/Minardi Team Asia) 17 points.

Rookie Cup Final Points Standings.
1. Michael Patrizi 205 points, 2. Charlie-Ro Charlez 192 points, 3.Armaan
Ebrahim 164 points, 4.An Suk Won 142 points, 5.Aaron Lim 113 points, 6.Wang
Jian-Wei 74 points, 7.Dejan de Zoysa 40 points.

Statistics:

Winners 2005: Al Khalifa (6), Boughey (1), Ebrahim (1), Al Fardan (4), Patrizi
(2)

Pole Positions: Al Khalifa (7), Michael Patrizi (2), Charlie-Ro Charlez (2),
Hamed Al Fardan (2), Armaan Ebrahim (1).

Podiums: Al Khalifa (8), Charlez (8), Boughey (2), Al Baharna (1), Patrizi (8),
Al Fardan (7), Ebrahim (4), An Suk Won (2), Lim (2).

Championship Points: 1.Salman Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain) 172 points, 2.
Michael Patrizi (AUS/Team Meritus) 157 points, 3. Hamed Al Fardan (BAH/Team
Meritus) 148, 4. Charlie-Ro Charlez (MAS/Team Meritus) 140 points, 5.Armaan
Ebrahim (IND/Team E-Rain) 129 points

Rookie Cup Winners: Charlez (4), Ebrahim (2) Patrizi (7).

Rookie Cup Points: 1. Michael Patrizi 205 points, 2. Charlie-Ro Charlez 192
points, 3.Armaan Ebrahim 164 points