Formula BMW USA - San Jose - Rounds 9 & 10 - Preview

FORMULA BMW USA - PREVIEW
ROUNDS 9 & 10, SAN JOSE GRAND PRIX

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - July 24, 2006... Formula BMW USA will race in support of the
Champ Car World Series for the first time this season when the fight for the
championship will be taken to the streets at the San Jose Grand Prix on July
28-30 for Rounds 9 and 10. The only Formula BMW USA races to be held in
California this year will be held on the 1.448-mile, 11-turn, temporary circuit
through streets and parking lots around San Jose's Convention Center.

In the previous eight Rounds at Mid-Ohio and Lime Rock Park in May and the four
races supporting the Canadian and United States Grands Prix, five drivers have
found the checkered flag this season. Stefano Coletti (EuroInternational) has
three wins; Robert Wickens (EuroInternational) two; and Reed Stevens (HBR
Motorsport Team USA), Daniel Morad (AIM Autosport) and Matt Lee (Autotecnica)
have one win. San Jose, with its new set of challenges, may reward a sixth or
even seventh winner. For one of the 25 drivers entered, Maxime Pelletier
(Gelles Racing), driving on the road will be something completely new as he is
not yet old enough to hold a road license.

Only 19 points separate the top-four in the championship battle. The top-four
have put a bit of distance between themselves and the rest of the field, but
with six Rounds remaining and 20 points awarded to the winner of each Round the
chase for the Formula BMW USA championship title is anything but decided.

How competitive points leader Wickens will be in San Jose remains to be seen.
The Formula BMW USA Junior driver will race for the rest of the season with
EuroInternational in the car that took Coletti to his three victories. New
teammate Simona De Silvestro stands fourth in points. Wickens said, "I can't
wait for Rounds 9 and 10 in San Jose. I have always done well on street
circuits in karting and last year on the Denver street circuit I got my second
win in Formula BMW USA. I am extremely happy to lead the championship
standings. All I want to do now is gather as many points as possible to manage
my points lead."

Coletti, second in points, returned to the Formula BMW Germany championship
after the four Rounds in support of the Formula One races in Montreal and
Indianapolis. Lee, who has scored the most pole positions this season (3)
to-date stands third. De Silvestro, in fourth, with two podium finishes at the
United States Grand Prix, became the first woman ever on the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway podium.

Lee commented, "San Jose will be all-new for everybody. That doesn't bother me,
because I think I learn new tracks pretty quickly and I have a great team in
Autotecnica. I also love street courses, so I'm looking forward to it. My goal
for San Jose is simple: win two poles and two races. It will be hard, but both
I and the whole Autotecnica team will be trying our best."
De Silvestro added, "For me, San Jose will be a new driving experience because
it will be my first time on a street course. I hope I will be able to be in the
front. I will try to bring home as many points as possible and win races. I
keep pushing to win the championship!"
Although he has not yet reached the step on the podium, Sebastian Saavedra
(Gelles Racing) leads the Rookie points through six top-ten finishes. He was
the top-finishing Rookie in four Rounds. Pelletier and Morad stand second and
third respectively in Rookie points.

The promising Formula BMW USA talents can expect serious competition with
returning driver Tom Sutherland (Jensen Motorsport) who will re-join the series
for the San Jose races. Coming from Los Gatos, the youngster can not only look
back on 30 starts and finishes with Formula BMW USA, but also can count on the
support of his friends and family. "It will be interesting to see how I do in
my home city and on a track that none of the Formula BMW drivers have seen
before. After the Indianapolis F1 race weekend I now have started and finished
30 Formula BMW races and I am anxious to make it 32 in San Jose," Sutherland
stated. "After racing all over the country, even in Canada, a hometown race
event will be quite refreshing. Lots of my friends and family, as well as many
potential sponsors, will be there watching."

Stevens, from Palo Alto, who stands sixth in the Championship points can rely
on his home field advantage as well. Formula BMW USA driver Jules Duc (Hearn
Motorsports) is from the Silicon Valley area.

17 Formula BMW USA drivers recently completed two test days at Miller
Motorsports Park, in Tooele, Utah. Lee led the time sheets during the official
testing followed by Stevens and De Silvestro. Wickens and Race Johnson (HBR
Motorsport Team USA) rounded out the top-five. All were within three-tenths of
a second. The close competition promises great race action and fierce battles
on the streets of San Jose.

Stevens said, "We were able to solve the mechanical failures of Indianapolis at
the test and after finishing in second position - five-hundredths off of P1 -
I'm feeling very confident going into the San Jose GP. I've been very
competitive on street courses in the past; the only difference here is that I
will be supported by my Silicon Valley friends and family as well as my
technology sponsors. I feel completely prepared to dominate my home race in the
#10 Wind River BMW."
Lee added, "The two test days at Miller Motorsports Park let me shake off the
rust after Indianapolis and the team worked on set-ups to prepare for the
upcoming races and the heat. The Formula BMW USA series has more drivers than
any of the other Formula BMW divisions, and the competition is really stiff. We
just need to continue to do what we've been doing and keep on trying our best.
We have six races to go and a lot can still happen. Hopefully what happens for
us will be great!"

Practice will be held on Friday, July 28 at 8:00 a.m., followed by Round 9
qualifying at 4:45 p.m. Round 10 qualifying will be held at 8:00 a.m. Saturday
with the Round 9 race is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. After a 15 minute
warm-up at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday, the Round 10 race is scheduled to start at 3:50
p.m.

Championship points after 8 of 14 races:
1. Robert Wickens (Team Apex Racing USA, 90), 2. Stefano Coletti
(EuroInternational, 77), 3. Matt Lee (Autotecnica, 76), 4. Simona de Silvestro
(EuroInternational, 71), 5. Daniel Morad (AIM Autosport, 41), 6. Reed Stevens
(HBR Motorsport Team USA, 40), 7. John Zartarian (Gelles Racing, 32), 8. Race
Johnson (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 27), 8. Sebastian Saavedra (Gelles Racing,
27), 10. David Garza (EuroInternational, 26), 11. Tobias Hegewald (Atlantic
Racing Team, 23), 12. Ryan Phinny (Hearn Motorsports, 20), 13. Adrien Herberts
(Gelles Racing, 19), 14. Doug Boyer (AIM Autosport, 18), 15. Maxime Pelletier
(Gelles Racing, 14), 15. Ryan Campbell (Gelles Racing, 14), 17. Scott Schroeder
(American Spirit Grand Prix, 10), 18. Yannick Hofman (HBR Motorsport Team USA,
8), 19. Jordan Dick (Team Apex Racing USA, 6), 19. Philip Major (Atlantic
Racing Team, 6), 21. Robert Thorne (Team Autotecnica, 4), 21. Tom Sutherland
(Jensen Motorsport, 4), 23. Alex Navejar (Jensen Motorsport, 1), 24. Jules Duc
(Hearn Motorsports, 0), 24. Marco Santos (Haberfeld & Walker Racing, 0), 24.
Steven Guerrero (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 0), 24. David Rangel (Haberfeld &
Walker Racing, 0), 24. David Farias (Jensen Motorsport, 0), 24. Joel Jackson
(Gelles Racing, 0), 24. Frankie Muniz (Jensen Motorsport, 0), 24. Maryeve
Dufault (Hearn Motorsports, 0)

Rookies: 1. Sebastian Saavedra (113), 2. Maxime Pelletier (97), 2. Daniel Morad
(95), 4. David Garza (94), 5. Jordan Dick (66), 6. Robert Thorne (63), 7.
Steven Guerrero (57), 8. Joel Jackson (39)

Statistics:
Winners 2006: Coletti (3), Wickens (2), Stevens (1), Morad (1), Lee (1)
Pole Positions: Lee (3), Coletti (2), Garza (2), Morad (1)
Podiums: Wickens (5), Coletti (4), de Silvestro (4), Lee (3), Morad (2),
Stevens (2), Zartarian (2), Garza (1), Herberts (1)

Background:
Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level championship in Formula racing.
In 2006 the series will be held in Germany, the UK, Asia and the USA. More than
80 up-and-coming drivers, some as young as 15-years old, will compete
worldwide. Racing five times in support of the Formula One World Championship,
Formula BMW offers a worldwide stage, training through a multifaceted Education
and Coaching Program and BMW's longstanding Junior scholarship for deserving
drivers.

The FB02 race car is propelled by a 140 bhp BMW engine, reaching speeds up to
140 mph. The design exceeds the FIA safety requirements for its class, with the
BMW Motorsport developed FORS (Formula Rescue Race Seat), and the mandatory
HANS (Head and Neck Support) safety system.

From November 24 to 26, 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 with the
winner receiving a test drive with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.