Seat fitting in the Formula BMW FB02: tailored cockpits for the 2013 season

Munich, April 17, 2013. The Formula BMW Talent Cup class of 2013 took another important step towards the start of the season, which gets underway at the end of April in Calafat (ES), by attending the all-important seat-fitting session in Hamburg (DE). The cockpits of the single-seater Formula BMW FB02 racing cars were adjusted to fit the talented young drivers, who are being comprehensively prepared for a successful career in professional motor racing by BMW. This is an important aspect of the technical preparations, as only with an optimal seat position within the car is it possible to ensure that the drivers feel comfortable in the Formula BMW FB02 and can consequently produce the best possible performances over the course of the coming season.

The main focus of attention was not solely on the shape of the seats themselves, which were tailored to the respective body shapes of the drivers in a procedure lasting about 45 minutes per participant. Another focus was the perfect positioning of the seats and thus the drivers in the cockpit of the Formula BMW FB02, in order to guarantee the best possible balance, aerodynamics and performance of the car ahead of the season’s test races. These on-track events are held on renowned European racetracks between now and autumn, before the season culminates in the “Grand Final”, which forms part of a DTM weekend and represents the highlight of the year of training for the ambitious and talented youngsters.

“A meticulous seat fitting is extremely important, in order to ensure that the drivers feel 100 per cent comfortable in their cars right from the first minute of the season,” said Dirk Adorf, BMW works driver and chief instructor. “If this is not the case, they are not able to concentrate on the many challenges they must overcome out on the racetracks. The cockpit of the Formula BMW FB02 must be perfect for all the drivers, so that each and every one of them can perform to the best of their ability. As such, the skilled and precision work performed by the race engineers during the seat fitting is equally as important as the technical understanding and patience the drivers must show during the modifications to the interior of the car.”

You can find more information on the Formula BMW Talent Cup at www.formula-bmw.com. In addition, you can also watch video summaries of the 2012 events on the BMW Motorsport YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/BMWMotorsport

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