Robin Hansson celebrates his 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup victory in Oschersleben.

Formula BMW Talent Cup

Robin Hansson celebrates his 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup victory in Oschersleben.

Oschersleben (DE), 15th September 2013. Robin Hansson (SE) is the name of the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup champion. In the third and final race of the “Grand Final” in the etropolis Motorsport Arena in Oschersleben (DE) which is staged with the framework of the DTM, the Swede was crowned as the new champion of the training programme. The BMW programme is designed to give talented young motorsport drivers on-going preparation for a successful career in professional motor racing.

After his victory in the first race and a second-place finish in the second race, Hansson started the final race third on the grid. Lying in wait directly behind him was the driver who up till then had been his fiercest competitor for the overall victory, Nico Menzel (DE). The German categorically needed to finish the race ahead of Hansson if he was going to clinch the title. Hansson immediately made his way to the head of the field, whilst Menzel moved up into second place in the course of the second lap. The battle for first place produced a very watchable duel between the two drivers. The pivotal moment came in lap six, when Menzel clipped Hansson whilst attempting an overtaking manoeuvre on the first bend of the etropolis Motorsport Arena. He was unsuccessful, the car spun off the track and Menzel was no longer able to finish the race.

After a safety car phase, which lasted for four laps, Hansson was forced to complete the race with a damaged front wing on his Formula BMW FB02. From lap eleven on, Hansson took his foot off the accelerator so as to not impair his chances of taking the overall victory and he finished the final race in seventh place. The six points were enough to secure an overall victory, whilst Michael Waldherr (DE) finished the race in first place and Kaan Önder (TR) and James Allen (AU) completed the podium places, finishing second and third respectively. Hansson will now be funded by BMW to race the complete 2014 season at a more advanced single-seater racing series level.

The “Grand Final” in Oschersleben marks the end of this comprehensive training event for young motor sport talent within the framework of the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup, which this year saw eleven competitors from eight different countries. Within the framework of the DTM weekend, the youngsters have been given the chance to show what they had learnt during the training programme. In addition to the three final races, they met BMW motorsport director Jens Marquardt, visited the BMW Team RMG of team principal Stefan Reinhold and held an autograph session for the fans of BMW Motorsport. Now the path is clear for the 2014 Formula BMW Talent Cup season and the test dates for the new season will be announced shortly.

BMW Motorsport director Jens Marquardt: “The ‘Grand Final’ marks the end of an exciting Formula BMW Talent Cup season. I hereby congratulate the winner Robin Hansson, who showed in the final race what he has learned during his training within the framework of the Formula BMW Talent Cup. During the course of the three final races, the podium places have been shared between seven different drivers. Further evidence of how well-balanced the field was this season. In the end there is only one champion, but we feel that all of the competitors in the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup are winners. Every one of them has improved enormously during the course of the season – in the cockpit of the Formula BMW FB02, but also away from the race track. This is further proof that the comprehensive training concept of the Formula BMW Talent Cup with its on-track events as well as units in area of mental, physical and media training achieve great results and successfully prepare talented young drivers for a future career in professional motorsport. We have reached our goal and I am already looking forward to the 2014 Formula BMW Talent Cup season.

Robin Hansson, 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup winner: “It was a sensational day for me. I always knew that I can drive fast, as I demonstrated in the first two races. In the third race I had a good duel with Nico Menzel for the lead and also the overall victory. Nico wasn’t able to finish the race, but that’s racing. Afterwards I was forced to take stock of the situation and show what was necessary to win the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup. The overall victory is magnificent. The whole training experience has improved me as a driver – and of course it was a whole lot of fun.”

Result Race 3: 1. Michael Waldherr (DE, 26:25.824 mins.), 2. Kaan Önder (TR, 26:29.252), 3. James Allen (AU, 26:30.661), 4. Jules Szymkowiak (NL, 26:31.872), 5. Florian Stüger (DE, 26:32.851), 6. Bar Baruch (IL, 26:33.745), 7. Robin Hansson (SE, 26:35.602), 8. David Droux (CH, 27:09.749), 9. Vivianne Mainusch (DE, 27:53.473). DNF: Nico Menzel (DE), Michael Wolf (SA).

2013 “Grand Final” overall standings (after three races): 1. Robin Hansson (SE, 49 pts), 2. Nico Menzel (DE, 40), 3. Michael Waldherr (DE, 39), 4. Florian Stüger (DE, 37), 5. James Allen (AU, 31), 6. Jules Szymkowiak (NL, 30), 7. Kaan Önder (TR, 28), 8. David Droux (CH, 20), 9. Bar Baruch (IL, 18), 10. Michael Wolf (SA, 5), 11. Vivianne Mainusch (DE, 4).

You can find more information on the Formula BMW Talent Cup at www.formula-bmw.com.

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