EU: Series Monza preview

The final showdown in Monza.

Munich. After seven race weekends, 14 races, 163 laps and 826.554 kilometres of racing the finale for the Formula BMW Europe crown will be between Jack Harvey (GB/Fortec Motorsports) and Robin Frijns (NL/Josef Kaufmann Racing) who, going into the Monza weekend, are just seven points apart. As there is a total of 62 points on offer 30 for each win and an extra point for each pole this could be one of the most exciting and close fought final weekends in the ten year history of the formula.

The two youngsters started their Formula BMW battles when they were Rookies in the series last year, eventually finishing with Frijns as the Rookie Cup winner and Harvey runner-up. Now it is Harvey in front and their rivalry, which will now play out on the final ever weekend for Formula BMW Europe, should be a fitting curtain call for the series.

The results from Spa-Francorchamps last weekend put a very different complexion on the points' tables. Frijns reduced the gap to Harvey from 23 to seven points, Josef Kaufmann Racing overtook Fortec Motorsports at the top of the Teams' competition, and Timmy Hansen (SE/Mucke Motorsport) overtook Carlos Sainz (ES/Eurointernational) for third place in the drivers' battle, even though the Spaniard went on to clinch the Rookie Cup. Now the Swedish driver, who was second quickest in qualifying last year in Monza, is determined to be one of the front runners again. His comment on the track was: "Monza is a very special track with long straights and no downforce. It is really going to be down to tactics in the race and qualifying to get the best slip streams. It is very difficult, but last year I was second and fourth on the grids, so I like the track and like the moments when you have to think ahead and plan everything. It is a great opportunity to try to get in front and have some nice racing."

Last year Hansen was a Rookie and this year his fellow Scandinavian, Petri Suvanto (FI/Josef Kaufmann Racing), who is a 2010 Rookie, is hoping to match his qualifying feats. "It is quite a special track and very different to the others we race on, so that makes it quite exciting. It also has an atmosphere like Silverstone and Hockenheim, so I would say the race and event has a soul to it. When we tested there it was our first official one, so there was a lot of learning to do as I had to work on my driving instead of the set-up, and so it is quite a challenge to go to the race weekend. However, I am planning to turn the quite difficult season round there and make a good result," he said.

Monza is not only a popular track with many drivers, but it also has a special place in motorsport history. In 1950 when the first ever World Championship  Formula BMW Europe

Subject Formula BMW Europe: Rounds 15 & 16, 10 12 September Monza. Date 3 September 2010 Page 2

was held it was the last of seven races on the calendar. This year it will celebrate its 60th Grand Prix, with 1980 being the only year when the Italian Grand Prix was not held there, but instead at the Imola track. No other track has held as many Formula One world championship races.

Returning for his second race of the season as a Guest driver from Formula BMW Pacific is Dustin Sofyan. The 16-year-old Indonesian will again be with the DAMS team. Meanwhile, British driver, Luciano Bacheta, will also be a guest driver again with the French team.

The final weekend's timetable will be the normal one for Grands Prix with free practice from 08.50 to 09.15 on Friday, and qualifying a short while later from 12.50 to 13.15. Then the first of the two 12 lap races on the 5.793 kilometre track, will be at 09.45 on Saturday and the second on Sunday at 08.30. All these times are CET.

-source: fbmw