F.BMW: Europe and Asia series axed

This season’s Formula BMW Europe and Pacific championships will be the last, the manufacturer announced today.

The junior slicks and wings single seater category, regarded by some as an ideal first step on the road to Formula 1, has been axed in favour of the manufacturer’s all-new Formula BMW Talent Cup set to start next season.

The fleet of identical FB02 chassis will now be put to use in the Formula BMW Talent Cup designed to better prepare young racers from the age of 14. The 12 month programme encompassing every aspect of theoretical and practical motorsport will culminate in a Grand Final – the only competitive race of the season – with the winner receiving a paid drive in another junior formula.         

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen explained that the Talent Cup would help drivers make the difficult step between karting and cars.

"Promoting young talent continues to be an important strand of our realigned project landscape,” he said. “BMW has been actively involved in supporting talented young drivers since the 1970s and aims to continue this tradition.

“With the Formula BMW Talent Cup we are positioning ourselves between karting and professional motorsport, so starting out a stage earlier than with our previous Formula BMW concept. This realignment allows us to react to new conditions and the increase in costs seen in junior, single-seater racing. As such we are offering young drivers an extremely cost-effective platform and are sharpening our focus on practical driving experience and driver education so to provide them with the best possible preparation for their future career on and beside the track.”

Inaugurated in 2002 in Germany, the series soon spread to Asia, Britain and America, becoming a staple for those making their car racing debut after karts. In 2008 the UK and German series merged to create the current European competition which has featured on the F1 bill ever since.

But a proliferation of junior single seater categories in recent years has resulted in the once popular series suffering from a poor turn out this season, with typically just 16 cars on the grid.

Catch the remaining Formula BMW Europe rounds on Motors TV throughout 2010.

Tom Hornsby