Sebastian Saavedra (17/COL/Ao’s Racing) put in a stellar performance to take victories in both rounds of Formula BMW Asia today at China’s 4.3km Zhuhai International Circuit.

Although the victor for both races is beyond question, the final results for Round 19 are pending the outcome of a protest, so the points standings remain provisional. Fifty percent of points and prize monies were awarded for Round 20 as less than 75% of the prescribed race distance was run.

Jazeman Jaafar (MAS/CIMB Team Qi-Meritus), who didn’t have a successful day, still tops provisional Driver Classification after 20 races but his lead over rival Zahir Ali (20/INA/Team TARADTM) is reduced to just 23 points. Jazeman’s team mate James Grunwell (18/THA) is also still in contention for the title with just two races remaining.

In the Rookie Cup, Ross Jamison (17/HKG/CIMB Team Q-Meritus) retains his position at the top of the leaderboard, 17 points clear of South African Kyle Mitchell (16/Eurasia Motorsport), and the pair will decide who takes the crown tomorrow.

In the first race Saavedra took his second Formula BMW Asia career victory and another win for Ao’s Racing in a row having won in Shanghai last month, ahead of Mitchell and Ali. In the second race, which was stopped after a major incident involving multiple cars and finished behind the Safety Car, the results were repeated.

In Round 19, although pole-sitter Jamison crossed the line behind the Colombian, he was subsequently dealt a cruel blow when he was judged by race officials to have been outside his grid box at the start and handed a 30 second penalty after the race. The penalty demoted him to 9th and dented his Rookie Cup aspirations.

At the start Saavedra got by Jamison into the first turn and didn’t look back, building a comfortable lead by the flag. Lemvard got by fellow Thai Grunwell on the opening lap to go 3rd.

Behind the leaders, a battle between Jaafar, Ali and Mitchell ended with the Malaysian holding on to 5th and the South African getting by Ali to go 6th. Jazeman caught up to Grunwell on lap 8, but spun going first onto the grass and then in to the gravel where his race ended. Lemvard briefly got by Jamison to go 2nd, but spun dropping him back down the field and forcing Grunwell to take evasive action. That gave Mitchell and Ali the chance to slide by and up into 3rd and 4th in the running order.

Saavedra: "Today we had a great start. It seems since the practice session we knew we had a great car. We had some struggles in the first corner, it was very close and I was able to take him (Jamison) in the first 50 metres, and from then on I just continued my pace – a very fast pace."

With Mitchell keeping the Rookie Cup title open, Ali’s result had the same affect on the Driver Classification. The Indonesian was thrilled and a little surprised to be on the podium: "We had a few problems, but we know we can improve and we know we can win today," he said.

In the second race, Saavedra got away cleanly from pole. Jamison was up to 4th from 9th on the grid by lap four, while Jazeman, who had failed to finish the earlier race, was up to 5th and battling with Grunwell. However, one lap later a major incident involving six cars brought out the red flag. Just ten cars joined the re-start with Saavedra crossing the line ahead of Mitchell and Ali, with Jamison in 4th, with the race finishing behind the Safety Car.

Said Mitchell: "I didn’t have a great start – I fell asleep at the start! I saw the red flag and realised there must have been a big accident, and hoped everyone was OK. The race was good for me because I knew I was going to finish and that I was going to get very valuable points for the championship."

1 31 Sebastian SAAVEDRA# (COL) Ao’s Racing# 20.32.446

2 28 Kyle MITCHELL*• (RSA) Eurasia Motorsport +8.937

3 8 Zahir ALI (INA) Team TARADTM +9.207

4 38 James GRUNWELL (THA) CIMB Team Qi-Meritus +9.889

5 2 Sean MC DONAGH• (USA) Team E-Rain +21.237

6 11 Melvin MOH• (MAS) Team Holzer PFX +25.018

7 7 Shohei SHIROMOTO*• (JPN) Team E-Rain +25.731

8 32 Tom GLADDIS# (GBR) Ao’s Racing# +31.689

9 88 Ross JAMISON*• (HKG) CIMB Team Qi-Meritus +31.873

10 68 David ZHU*• (CHN) CIMB Team Qi- Meritus +40.150

11 78 Jack LEMVARD (THA) CIMB Team Qi-Meritus +40.707

12 58 Huzair HARUN RASIP• CIMB Team Qi- Meritus DNF

- 27 Akhil KHUSHLANI*• (IND) Eurasia Motorsport DNF

- 33 Jazeman JAAFAR (MAS) CIMB Team Qi-Meritus DNF

- 77 Johan ADZMI• (MAS) Team Holzer PFX DNF

- 5 Imran SHAHAROM• (MAS) Team Holzer PFX DNF

Pole Position: Ross Jamison/CIMB Team Qi-Meritus/1:41.339
Fastest Lap: Jazeman Jaafar/CIMB Team Qi-Meritus/ 1:41.484/152.53kph

Round 20 Results.

1 31 Sebastian SAAVEDRA# (COL) Ao’s Racing# 31.55.666

2 28 Kyle MITCHELL*• (RSA) Eurasia Motorsport +0.884

3 8 Zahir ALI (INA) Team TARADTM +1.315

4 88 Ross JAMISON*• (HKG) CIMB Team Qi-Meritus +1.554

5 33 Jazeman JAAFAR (MAS) CIMB Team Qi-Meritus +2.003

6 11 Melvin MOH• (MAS) Team Holzer PFX +2.465

7 5 Imran SHAHAROM• (MAS) Team Holzer PFX +2.825

8 2 Sean MC DONAGH• (USA) Team E-Rain +3.181

9 7 Shohei SHIROMOTO*• (JPN) Team E-Rain +3.625

10 38 James GRUNWELL (THA) CIMB Team Qi-Meritus 1 Lap

- 32 Tom GLADDIS# (GBR) Ao’s Racing# DNF

- 68 David ZHU*• (CHN) CIMB Team Qi- Meritus DNF

- 78 Jack LEMVARD (THA) CIMB Team Qi-Meritus DNF

- 58 Huzair HARUN RASIP• CIMB Team Qi- Meritus DNF

- 27 Akhil KHUSHLANI*• (IND) Eurasia Motorsport DNF

- 77 Johan ADZMI• (MAS) Team Holzer PFX DNF

Pole Position: Sebastian Saavedra/Ao’s Racing

Fastest Lap: Kyle Mitchell/Eurasia Motorsport/1:42.424/151.13kph

Driver Classification. 1. Jazeman Jaafar (MAS/CIMB Team Qi-Meritus) 677 points; 2. Zahir Ali (INA/Team TARADTM) 654 points; 3. James Grunwell (THA/CIMB Team Qi-Meritus) 620 points; 4. Ross Jamison (HKG/CIMB Team Qi-Meritus) 561.5 points; 5. Kyle Mitchell (RSA/Eurasia Motorsport) 544.5 points; 6. Sean McDonagh (USA/Team E-Rain) 429 points; 7. Akhil Khushlani (MAL/Eurasia Motorsport) 418 points; 8. Shohei Shiromoto (JPN/Team E-Rain) 417 points; 9. David Zhu (CHN/Team Meritus) 376 points; 10. . Melvin Moh (MAS/Team Holzer PFX) 368 points; 11. Johan Adzmi (MAS/Team Holzer PFX) 345 points; 12. Imran Shaharom (MAS/Team Holzer) 331 points; 13. Jack Lemvard (THA/CIMB Team Qi-Meritus) 250 points; 14. Cchiranjeev R. Bedi (IND/Engstler Bollywood racing) 228 points; 15. Huzair Harun (MAS/Team Meritus) 206 points; 16. Dennis Vollmair (GER/Engstler Racing) 190 points

Rookie Cup 1. Jamison 561.5; 2. Mitchell 544.5; 3. McDonagh 429; 4.Khushlani 418; 5. Shiromoto 417; 6. Zhu 376; 7. Moh 368; 8. Adzmi 345; 9. Shaharom 331; 10. R. Bedi 228; 11. Harun 206; 12. Vollmair 190.

Nations Cup 1. Malaysia, 162.5; 2. Thailand, 153; 3. Indonesia 136.5; 4. South Africa 115; 5. Hong Kong 109; 6. India 90; 7. USA 74; 8. China 70; 9. Japan 64.5; 10. Germany 32.

Teams 1. CIMB Team Qi-Meritus 1561; 2. Eurasia Motorsport 962.5; 3. Team Holzer PFX 884; 4. Team E-Rain 846; 5. Team TARADTM 644; 6. Engstler Motorsport 230; 7. Engstler Bollywood Motorsport 188.

Winners 2007: Jazeman Jaafar (8); James Grunwell (3); Zahir Ali (5); Jack Lemvard (1), Sebastian Saavedra (3)

Pole Positions: Jazeman Jaafar (5); Zahir Ali (10); James Grunwell (2); Jack Lemvard (1); Ross Jamison (1); Sebastian Saavedra (1)

Podiums: Jazeman Jaafar (14); James Grunwell (12); Zahir Ali (11); Kyle Mitchell (9); David Zhu (2); Ross Jamison (4); Jack Lemvard (3); Saavedra (3); Johan Adzmi (1); Sean McDonagh (1);

Rookie Cup Winners: Mitchell (12); Jamison (6); McDonagh (1); Shaharom (1)

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."

-Nikki Kemp, HongKong - also photo