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Formula BMW made its European debut in 2002 to provide a complete foundation for a young driver's career.
All drivers in the series can take part in the BMW Education and Coaching Program, which includes:
Some of the successful drivers that have completed in the series include Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel, Christian Klien and Timo Glock. The Formula BMW was sketched and modeled by DesignworksUSA. The car's body is inspired by the BMW Formula 1 shape. It has a carbon-fiber tub that exceeds FIA safety stands and the bodywork is made from a Kevlar composite. All drivers compete in a Mygale FB02. The Mygale FB02 has Sachs SP3 adjustable shock absorbers and Eibach coil springs. The suspension is a push rod double wishbone design. The car also has aluminum OZ Racing wheels 8" X13" on the front and 10" X13" on the rear. The championship uses Michelin tires. The 1300-lb Mygale FB02 is powered by a K1200RS BMW motorcycle engine (124EA). The four-cylinder double overhead camshaft motor has four valves per cylinder and a displacement of 1171cc. The liquid-cooled unit produces 140 bhp. Power is transferred through a Sachs single-plate clutch and a six-speed sequential Hewland gearbox. The cars can be purchased from BMW Motorsport for $69,500 plus sales tax and import fees. The first Formula BMW USA race was held in 2004 and sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association. The 2009 schedule consisted of fourteen rounds at six circuits.
Rounds three and four of the 2009 Formula BMW USA Championship were conducted at Virginia International Raceway. Drivers would compete on the eighteen-turn 3.270-mile road course.
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Rounds three and four of the 2009 Formula BMW USA Championship belonged to Giancarlo Vilarinho. The Brazilian, who competed last season, finished behind his teammate, Gabby Chavez, in the first weekend of the series at Autódromo Internacional Miguel E. Abed. Driving the No. 9 EuroInternational Formula BMW, Vilarinho qualified on the pole for both races and led flag-to-flag for the wins. |
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In 2009, Gabby Chavez was committed to doing an entire season in the No. 2 EuroInternational Formula BMW. He opened his campaign with a pair of victories at Autódromo Internacional Miguel E. Abed. In round three at Virginia International Raceway, Chavez qualified second to Giancarlo Vilarinho and chased him for a runner-up result. He started in the third spot on Sunday and collected another second place. |
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In 2008, Canadian Alex Ellis competed in the Ontario F1200 series, winning the rookie title and finishing second in the overall standings. This year Ellis joined the Formula BMW USA Championship driving the No. 14 Autotechnica Formula BMW. In his first weekend of the series, he grabbed a third-place result and set the fastest lap. At Virginia International, Ellis went home with third and sixth-place finishes. |
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Another Canadian, Gianmarco Raimondo, raced with the Autotechnica team driving the No. 50 Formula BMW. Raimondo made his series debut last season and finished third in the final standings with a pair of victories at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He began this year with a retirement and second place at Autódromo Internacional Miguel E. Abed. In Virginia, he collected fourth and third-place results. |
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Australian James Kovacic was another newcomer to the series and drove the No. 20 Team Apex Formula BMW. The rookie was quick in the season opener, grabbing third and fourth-place results. Virginia International Raceway would be a character-building weekend for Kovacic. He qualified fifth and finished eighth in race one. In the finale, Kovacic started second but earned another eighth-place result. |
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| FINISH | START | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Giancarlo Vilarinho | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 2 | 2 | Gabby Chaves | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 3 | 7 | Alex Ellis | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 4 | 6 | Gianmarco Raimondo | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 5 | 8 | J.V. Horto | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 6 | 9 | Martin Sala | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 7 | 11 | Wilson Philippe | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 8 | 5 | James Kovacic | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 9 | 4 | Olivier Lombard | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 10 | 10 | Barrett Mertins | Mygale FB02 BMW | 12 | - |
| 11 | 3 | Michael Lewis | Mygale FB02 BMW | 9 | Electrical |
| 12 | 12 | Robert Garcia | Mygale FB02 BMW | 8 | Accident |
| FINISH | START | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Giancarlo Vilarinho | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 2 | 3 | Gabby Chaves | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 3 | 8 | Gianmarco Raimondo | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 4 | 4 | Martin Sala | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 5 | 5 | Michael Lewis | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 6 | 7 | Alex Ellis | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 7 | 6 | J.V. Horto | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 8 | 2 | James Kovacic | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 9 | 10 | Wilson Philippe | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 10 | 12 | Robert Garcia | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | - |
| 11 | 9 | Olivier Lombard | Mygale FB02 BMW | 11 | Disqualified |
| 12 | 11 | Barrett Mertins | Mygale FB02 BMW | 10 | Disqualified |
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