Sepang, Malaysia – Malaysian teenager Jazeman Jaafar (Team Meritus) rewarded the legions of local racing fans who turned out today to cheer him on with a spectacular win to take his 5th victory in eight races. Jazeman beat team mate and arch rival James Grunwell (18/THA), but the Thai at least had the satisfaction of setting a new lap record of 2:10.637 during his astonishing attempt to catch Jazeman. Third across the line was South African BMW Junior Kyle Mitchell (16/Eurasia Motorsport) taking the Rookie Cup win, his second of the weekend.
Another BMW Junior, Akhil Khushlani (17/IND/Eurasia Motorsport), put in an impressive performance holding off the more experienced Zahir Ali (19/INA/Team TARADTM) to take 4th overall and 2nd in the Rookie Cup, ahead of Sean McDonagh (17/USA/Team E-Rain). McDonagh had been up to 3rd, before a coming together with Mitchell resulted in a spin which put him back to 6th, while Ali put behind him the controversy of the previous race to plough his way from the back of the grid to finish 5th.
With yet another victory under his belt, Jazeman increases his hold on the Driver Classification with a 65 point lead over Grunwell, while BMW Junior Ross Jamison (17/HKG/Team Meritus) is tied 3rd with fellow Mitchell. Khushlani is close behind the pair, just 17 points adrift. In the Rookie Cup standings, Jamison and Mitchell are also neck-and-neck on 237 points. In the Nations Cup, Malaysia has a 17 point lead over Thailand.
Jazeman got away well from pole, but a determined Grunwell lunged into the lead before the first turn. During what has become a familiar sight, Jazeman reclaimed his lead at the fourth corner, and a furious Grunwell lost both the lead and a place to Mitchell during the fracas.
Lap 2 saw Grunwell take second place from Mitchell and, as Grunwell battled to keep the BMW Junior behind him, Jazeman pulled away at the front setting in incredible pace and a new lap record of 2:11.851.
However, the distinction was short-lived as Grunwell picked up the pace and the record tumbled in his desperation to close on the dominant series newcomer. In the closing seconds of the 10-lap race, he pushed himself and his FB02 to the limit and produced a staggering time of 2:10.637, but Jazeman still crossed the line with a margin of more than two seconds.
Jazeman summed up his weekend in one word: “Excellent!”, but it’s all change for Formula BMW Asia next month as the series moves to Indonesia’s Sentul Circuit for Rounds 9 to 12 on July 21 and 22. The 3.965km track will be new to most of the field, including Jazeman, but Indonesian driver Ali is looking forward to the races for other reasons: “I actually don’t really know the Sentul track that well. I know the karting circuit there much better. Most of all though, I’m really hoping my luck changes!” One thing is for sure, there will be no let up in the intense rivalry between Championship leader Jazeman and team mate Grunwell.
Round 8.
POS
NO
Driver/Nat
Entrant
Time
1
33
Jazeman JAAFAR (MAS)
Team Meritus
22:07.503
2
38
James GRUNWELL (THA)
Team Meritus
+2.103
3
28
Kyle MITCHELL*• (RSA)
Eurasia Motorsport
+17.495
4
27
Akhil KHUSHLANI*• (IND)
Eurasia Motorsport
+22.493
5
8
Zahir ALI (INA)
Team TARADTM
+22.593
6
2
Sean MC DONAGH• (USA)
Team E-Rain
+25.858
7
88
Ross JAMISON*• (HKG)
Team Meritus
+30.430
8
11
Melvin MOH• (MAS)
Team Holzer PFX
+30.769
9
5
Imran SHAHAROM• (MAS)
Team Holzer PFX
+31.331
10
7
Shohei SHIROMOTO*• (JPN)
Team E-Rain
+36.436
11
77
Johan ADZMI• (MAS)
Team Holzer PFX
+44.963
12
68
David ZHU*• (CHN)
Team Meritus
+49.136
13
37
Cchiranjeev R. BEDI (IND)
Engstler Motorsport
+54.704
DNF
58
Huzair HARUN RASIP•
Team Meritus
-
DNF
99
Dennis VOLLMAIR• (GER)
Engstler Racing
-
Pole Position: Jazeman Jaafar/Team Meritus
Fastest Lap: James Grunwell/Team Meritus/2:10.637/150.318kph
*Scholarship driver
•Rookie Cup
# Non-Series Registered
Championship Points Tables after Round 8.
Driver Classification
1.Jazeman Jaafar (MAS/Team Meritus) 339 points; 2. James Grunwell (THA/Team Meritus) 274 points; 3. (tied) Ross Jamison (HKG/Team Meritus) and Kyle Mitchell (RSA/Eurasia Motorsport) 237 points; 5. Akhil Khushlani (IND/Eurasia Motorsport) 220 points; 6. Zahir Ali (INA/TARADTM) 205 points; 7. Sean McDonagh (USA/Team E-Rain) 178 points; 8. Johan Adzmi (MAS/Team Holzer PFX) 165 points; 9. Imran Shaharom (MAS/Team Holzer PFX) 162 points; 10. David Zhu (CHN/Team Meritus) 147 points; 11. Shohei Shiromoto (JPN/Team E-Rain) 140 points; 12. Melvin Moh (MAS/Team Holzer PFX) 138; 13. Dennis Vollmair (GER/Engstler Racing) 126 points; 14. Cchiranjeev R. Bedi (IND/Engstler Bollywood racing) 92 points; 15. Huzair Harun (MAS/Team Meritus) 38 points.
Rookie Cup
1. (tied) Jamison and Mitchell 237; 3. Khushlani 220; 4. McDonagh 178; 5. Adzmi 165; 6. Shaharom 162; 7. Zhu 147; 8. Shiromoto 140; 9. Moh 138; 10. Vollmair 126; 11. R. Bedi 92; 12. Harun 38.
Nations Cup
1. Malaysia, 76; 2. Thailand, 59; 3. South Africa, 49; 4. Hong Kong, 47; 5. India, 42; 6. Indonesia, 40; 7. USA, 31; 8. China, 28; 9. Japan, 21; 10. Germany, 19.
Team Classification
1. Team Meritus 666; 2. Eurasia Motorsport, 457; 3. Team Holzer PFX, 383; 4. Team E-Rain, 318; 5. Team TARADTM, 202; 6. Engstler Motorsport, 166; 7. Engstler Bollywood Motorsport, 52.
Statistics:
Winners 2007: Jazeman Jaafar (5); James Grunwell (2); Zahir Ali (1)
Pole Positions: Jazeman Jaafar (5); Zahir Ali (3); James Grunwell (1)
Podiums: Jazeman Jaafar (7); James Grunwell (6); Zahir Ali (2); Kyle Mitchell (4); David Zhu (1); Ross Jamison (3); Johan Adzmi (1)
Rookie Cup Winners: Jamison (4); Mitchell (4)
Background:
Formula BMW is the world’s leading entry-level class in Formula racing. In 2007 the series will be held in Germany, the UK, Asia and the USA. Up-and-coming drivers as young as 15-years-old are given the opportunity of entering motor racing with the high-tech, standard FB02 race car.
This racing car has been seen on the grid since 2002 and has set standards particularly on the safety technology front. The single-seater is propelled by a 140 bhp BMW engine up to 230km/h and exceeds the FIA safety requirements for its class. BMW Motorsport has developed the FORS Formula Rescue Race Seat especially for Formula BMW. The HANS safety system is also mandatory.
In 2007, Formula BMW will be staged four times as part of the Formula One support programme. All the series offer a multifaceted Education and Coaching Programme as well as sponsorship for promising racing talents. The best-known alumni of this talent hothouse are Formula One drivers Sebastian Vettel, Timo Glock, Adrian Sutil and Nico Rosberg.
BMW Motorsport Director, Mario Theissen: “Formula BMW offers talented young drivers more than just a car. In the Education and Coaching Programme we have designed specially for them, they learn everything they need to know to hold their own in the big wide world of motor racing. Formula BMW has shot out of the blocks to become the top entry-level class for Formula racing worldwide.”
