FBMW: Coloni quits FBMW Europe

Scuderia Coloni will not compete in Formula BMW Europe this season after quitting the single-seater feeder category.

The Italian squad was a founder member of the series in 2008 under the Fisichella Motorsport banner, running a three-car team for Oli Milroy, Mihai Marinescu and Pedro Bianchini, who finished seventh in the overall standings.

Last season the team struggled for results and missed the races at Valencia and Spa after its split with Fisichella Motorsport, having run Doru Sechelariu, Kevin Gilardoni and Ramon Pineiro in the first five rounds. It returned for the season finale at its home race Monza with Kevin Friesacher and Rio Haryanto, the Austrian taking a best finish of ninth, equalling the team’s best result of the season.

A team statement read: ‘Planning its 2010 commitments, Scuderia Coloni has decided to stop its Formula BMW Europe programme. The whole team thanks BMW and the championship staff for their cooperation and the efforts made for the series organisation. In the next weeks Scuderia Coloni will release the details of its 2010 plan.’

The team is expected to continue its race programmes in GP2 and the new Auto GP series.

Watch FBMW Europe highlights on Motors TV (Sky Channel 413, Virgin Media 545).


Andy Wilkinson