Sport

Formula BMW Germany: 17-year-old Jens Klingmann takes the title

16 ottobre 2007

Jens Klingmann from Leimen (Eifelland Racing) crossed the start/finish line of the Hockenheimring on Sunday as the overall winner of Formula BMW Germany 2007, punching the air in triumph. "Once I realised I had made it, I was just yelling at the top of my voice during the race," said an exuberant Klingmann after the presentation ceremony. All the Formula BMW Junior needed was a third-place finish to trounce his team-mate and toughest rival Daniel Campos-Hull (ESP/Eifelland Racing) and take the title. The young driver from Baden-Württemberg concluded the season with a tally of nine wins, 14 podiums and seven poles.

Races 17 and 18 of Formula BMW Germany delivered some nailbiting races and a host of surprises to wind up the season. Saturday saw Philipp Eng (AUT/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) emerge as the race winner before subsequently being disqualified due to a technical irregularity on his car. That handed Adrien Tambay his first victory, while Klingmann and guest driver Sebastian Saavedra Ferreira (COL/AM-Holzer Rennsport) moved up into second and third place. On Sunday the race was interrupted on lap ten following a collision between Eng and Quinn, which saw the latter's car turning over several times. But race medic DR Zerbian gave the all-clear: "The Formula BMW Seat system is ingenious. We were able to rescue the driver from the car along with the Seat in less than a minute." Quinn gave no signs of having suffered any serious injury, but was flown to the clinic in Ludwigshafen for a precautionary check-up.

Campos-Hull bade farewell to the final race of Formula BMW Germany with a stroke of bad luck. He made contact with Wittmann's car and had to bury his title hopes in the gravel trap. In the overall rankings he finished second with 622 points, behind Klingmann and his tally of 699. Eng ultimately came third (595) ahead of Tambay (573).

This season's close competition in Formula BMW Germany was exemplified by six different winners in 18 races. In all, the grid had drivers from 15 countries lining up. Thanks to the new points system the title winner wasn't decided until the very last race, while the rookie classification also kept everyone on tenterhooks until the final. Marco Wittmann (Markt Erlbach/Josef Kaufmann Racing) virtually had the rookie crown in his grasp before having to abandon the final race after an accident. As a result, Adrien Tambay, son of ex-Formula One driver Patrick Tambay, claimed the "Rookie of the year" title with 573 points. It means he can look forward to a BMW support package of 75,000 euros provided he signs up for the new Formula BMW Europe next year. Second and third place went to Wittmann (570) and Kevin Mirocha (Hamm/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, 389).
Thanks to its consistently good results throughout the season, Team Eifelland Racing from Dudeldorf pocketed the team title. With a total of 1,363 points, the squad directed by Albert Hamper consigned their colleagues from Josef Kaufmann Racing (1,223) and ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg/Mücke Motorsport (1,140) to the runner-up spots.

Race 17, placings (top 10): 1. Adrien Tambay (FRA/Josef Kaufmann Racing) 19:43.667, 2. Jens Klingmann (Leimen/Eifelland Racing) 19:45.215, 3. Sebastian Saavedra Ferreira (COL/AM-Holzer Rennsport 19:53.477, 4. Marco Wittmann (Markt Erlbach/Josef Kaufmann Racing) 19:54.099, 5. Pedro Bianchini (BRA/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 20:00.747, 6. Maximilian Wissel (Hörstein/GU- Racing Team International) 20:05.751, 7. Markus Pommer (Erlenbach/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 20:06.598, 8. James Grunwell (GBR/AM-Holzer Rennsport) 20:07.359, 9. Luuk Glansdorp (NED/Zettl Motorsport) 20:07.749, 10. Jens Höing (Berlin/GU-Racing Team International) 20:10.293

Race 18, placings: 1. Adrien Tambay (FRA/Josef Kaufmann Racing) 16:13.667, 2. Josef Kral (CZE/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 16:14.145, 3. Jens Klingmann (Leimen/Eifelland Racing) 16:19.083, 4. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX/Esteban Gutierrez) 16:20.666, 5. Kevin Mirocha (Hamm/ADAC Berlin- Brandenburg) 16:22.104, 6. Philipp Eng (AUT/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 16:26.018, 7. Mathijs Harkema (NED/Josef Kaufmann Racing) 16:31.315, 8. Maximilian Wissel (Hörstein/GU-Racing Team International) 16:32.013, 9. Luuk Glansdorp (NED/Zettl Motorsport) 16:33.904, 10. Johannes Seidlitz (Wassertrüdingen/G&J Motorsport) 16:36.181, 11. Daniel McKenzie (GBR/ Daniel McKenzie) 16:38.583, 12. Markus Pommer (Erlenbach/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) 16:40.704, 13. Jens Höing (Berlin/GU-Racing Team International) 16:42.397, 14. Michael Zettl (Wenig/Zettl Motorsport) 16:43.112, 15. Tiago Geronimi (BRA/Eifelland Racing) 16:45.296, 16. James Grunwell (GBR/AM-Holzer Rennsport) 16:45.732, 17. Thomas Hylkema (NED/Eifelland Racing) 16:46.397, 18. Tom Gladdis (GBR/Team Zinner) 16:46.926, 19. Carlos Gaitan (COL/GU- Racing Team International) 16:47.899, 20. Niall Quinn (IRL/AM-Holzer Rennsport) + 1 lap, 21. Sebastian Saavedra Ferreira (COL/AM-Holzer Rennsport +1 lap, 22. Marlene Dietrich (Mannheim/Team Zinner) +1 lap, 23. Nikolay Varbitcaliev (BUL/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg) +1 lap, 24. Timo Walter (Limbach/IBEX Motorsport) +1 lap. DNF: Samuel Curridor (LUX/Team Zinner), Marco Wittmann (Markt Erlbach/Josef Kaufmann Racing), Pedro Bianchini (BRA/ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg), Daniel Campos-Hull (ESP/Eifelland Racing), Maximilian Mayer (GER/GU-Racing Team International), Bernd Herndlhofer (AUT/ Bernd Herndlhofer). Pole position: Eng. Fastest race lap: Klingmann 1:46.238 min. Race distance: Race red-flagged after 9 laps (41.166 km).

Race 18, rookie standings (newcomers to formula racing): 1. Tambay, 2. Nirocha, 3. Glansdorp, 4. Seidlitz, 5. Pommer, 6. Zettl, 7. Geronimi, 8. Hylkema, 9. Gladdis, 10. Varbitcaliev, 11. Walter.

Championship standings after 18 out of 18 races: 1. Klingmann (699), 2. Campos-Hull (622), 3. Eng (595), 4. Tambay (573), 5. Wittmann (570), 6. Wissel (426), 7. Quinn (415), 8. Mirocha (389), 9. Harkema (376), 10. Pommer (336), 11. Geronimi (322), 12. Glansdorp (290), 13. Seidlitz (262), 14. Höing (216), 15. Curridor (182), 16. Bianchini (162), 17. Gaitan (158), 18. Varbitcaliev (158), 19. Walter (154), 20. Hylkema (128), 21. Dietrich (122), 22. Zettl (112), 23. Juncadella (86), 24. Wagner (76), 25. Kral (56), 26. Gutierrez (46), 27. Saaavedra (37), 28. Grunwell (36), 29. Surtees (24), 30. McKenzie (20), 31. Harnagea (18), 32. Gladdis (8), 33. Briznicks (2).

Rookie standings: 1. Tambay (573), 2. Wittmann (570), 3. Mirocha (389), 4. Pommer (336), 5. Geronimi (322), 6. Glansdorp (290), 7. Seidlitz (262), 8. Curridor (182), 9. Bianchini (162), 10. Varbitcaliev (158), 11. Walter (154), 12. Hylkema (128), 13. Zettl (112), 14. Wagner (76), 15. Surtees (24), 16 Gladdis (8).

Team standings: 1. Eifellland Racing (1,363), 2. Josef Kaufmann Racing (1,223), 3. ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg (1,140), 4. GU Racing Team International (758), 5. AM- Holzer Rennsport (592), 6. Zettl Motorsport (350), 7. Team Zinner (332), 8. G&J Motorsport (262), 9. IBEX Motorsport (154), 10. Luuk Glansdorp (52), 11. Esteban Gutierrez (46), 12. McKenzie (20).


Stampa  Print version
Send to a friend  Send to a friend
Write your comment  Write your comment »

Related headlines
British Rallycross Championship: Mondello mix sets up final showdown at Croft
Matt Neal, double BTCC champion, signs for VX Racing
BTCC: Vauxhall dominates at Thruxton
BTCC: Superhuman effort sees injured Plato fight to the end
Seat Cupra Championship: Adam and Vaulkhard crowned champions at Thruxton
Sutton wins Carrera Cup title at Thruxton
Team Australia drivers arrive on the Gold Coast ahead of Lexmark Indy 300
Conquest Racing and Nelson Philippe Get their Motors Revved for Surfers Paradise

Commenti dei lettori
Attenzione: si prega di non utilizzare un linguaggio offensivo, eventuali commenti volgari o offensivi saranno rimossi, così come link non giustificati. I commenti sono inseriti dai lettori, che se ne assumono la responsabilità

Username
Password
Codice di sicurezza Security code
(copia il codice di sicurezza che vedi nell'immagine qua sopra)
Non sei registrato?
Registrati, è gratis!

Commento


Ultime news:
Honda Racing F1: Team heads to Brazil for the final round

Audi driver Dindo Capello about Laguna Seca

Suzuki SX4 WRC debütiert beim WM-Lauf auf Korsika / P.G. Andersson ist Junior Rallye Champion 2007

Team Australia trade earns pet rock kid a new car for Youngcare

British Rallycross Championship: Mondello mix sets up final showdown at Croft

BTCC: Vauxhall dominates at Thruxton

Renault master is smart choice for Beergas Direct Franchisees

Voices of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca: Mika Salo

Lowe's Motor Speedway: Penske Racing Race Report

Sutton wins Carrera Cup title at Thruxton