Montreal, Quebec, Canada - June 11, 2005. BMW Junior and Rookie driver Kevin Lacroix (AIM Autosport) won the most important race of his 16-year old life today as he drove from the fourth starting position to win Round 5 of the Formula BMW USA Series at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Lacroix overtook pole sitter Tobias Hegewald on the first lap and went on to take the victory in front of his home Canadian Grand Prix crowd, extending his lead in both the Overall and Rookie points.
Jumping into the lead on the first lap, Lacroix was shadowed by fifth place starter Jonathan Summerton (Walker Racing) throughout the 12 lap contest, ultimately finishing 1.409 seconds ahead of the 2004 Formula BMW USA veteran.
Fellow Canadian Robert Wickens (Team Apex Racing USA) finished on the podium for the first time this season, taking advantage of his outside-pole starting position.
A delighted Lacroix said, "I was really confident about this race because I knew It was really possible to win. I had already won at Laguna Seca and Mid-Ohio from the fourth starting spot. In the first lap there was quite a battle in front of me. That was good for me and I was able to go to the front."
Summerton, a winner here last year, said, "The race was good. Of course, I was aiming for that number one position wanting to back up last year's win. Hopefully, I can get it tomorrow, but it will be difficult starting tenth. Today the car got off to a slow start, but Robert made a little mistake, went off the track, and I took advantage of it. From there on, I just tried focusing on catching Kevin."
Wickens said, "It was a great race. Unfortunately, I went off on the first lap, but to be on the podium in my home country is just great and standing on the same platform that the Formula 1 drivers will be on tomorrow is awesome."
The top-finishing Rookies were Lacroix (P1), Wickens (P3) and Reed Stevens (P4).
Round 6 is scheduled to start at 9:15 a.m. tomorrow.
Round 5 - Results (12 laps)
1 Kevin Lacroix (R) (AIM Autosport): 21:40.231
2 Jonathan Summerton (Walker Racing): 21:41.640
3 Robert Wickens (R) (Team Apex Racing USA): 21:45.074
4 Reed Stevens (R) (HBR Motorsport Team USA): 21:49.973
5 Richard Philippe (R) (Team Autotecnica): 21:52.135
6 Maxime Soulet (Gelles Racing): 22:03.157
7 Tom Sutherland (HBR Motorsport Team USA): 22:05.129
8 Edoardo Piscopo (R) (EuroInternational): 22:08.028
9 Darin Marcus (R) (Gelles Racing): 22:10.136
10 Adrien Herberts (R) (Atlantic Racing Team): 22:10.356
11 Race Johnson (R) (HBR Motorsport Team USA): 22:17.415
12 Rob Bunker (R) (AIM Autosport): 22:18.507
13 Doug Boyer (R) (Jensen MotorSport): 22:20.131
14 Ryan Campbell (R) (Gelles Racing): 22:34.671
15 Paul Rees (Walker Racing): 22:48.127
16 Derek Burseth (Burseth Racing): 22:56.159
17 Daniel Herrington (Jensen MotorSport): 9 laps Accident
18 Justin Moon (R) (Gelles Racing): 7 laps Accident
19 Tobias Hegewald (Atlantic Racing Team): 6 laps Accident
20 John Zartarian (R) (Jensen MotorSport): 4 laps Accident
21 Jules Duc (R) (Jensen MotorSport): 2 laps Accident
22 James Davison (R) (HBR Motorsport Team USA): 0 laps DNS
Matthew Lee (R) (Twintooth/BRM Motorsport): Excluded
Championship points after 5 of 14 races:
1. Kevin Lacroix (AIM Autosport, 72), 2. Maxime Soulet (Gelles Racing, 53), 3. Richard Philippe (Team Autotecnica, 49), 4. Robert Wickens (Team Apex Racing USA, 42), 5. James Davison (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 35), 6. Reed Stevens (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 34), 7. John Zartarian (Jensen MotorSport, 23), 8. Justin Moon (Gelles Racing, 18), 9. Edoardo Piscopo (EuroInternational, 18), 10. Jonathan Summerton (Walker Racing, 15), 11. Rob Bunker (AIM Autosport, 10), 12. Tom Sutherland (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 9), 13. Daniel Herrington (Jensen MotorSport, 8), 14. Race Johnson (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 8), 15. Matthew Lee (Twintooth/BRM Motorsport, 5), 16. Doug Boyer (Jensen MotorSport, 2), 17. Adrien Herberts (Atlantic Racing Team, 2), 18. Darin Marcus (Gelles Racing, 2), 19. Derek Burseth (Burseth Racing, 0), 20. Ryan Campbell (Gelles Racing, 0), 21. Nathan DePagter (DRE Autosport, 0), 22. Jules Duc (Jensen MotorSport, 0), 23. Scott Harnell (SDH3 with Cinema Concepts, 0), 24. Ryan Phinny (Gelles Racing, 0), 25. Tobias Hegewald (Atlantic Racing Team, 0), 26. Paul Rees (Walker Racing, 0)
Rookies: 1. Kevin Lacroix (75), 2. Richard Philippe (54), 3. Robert Wickens (53), 4. James Davison (41), 5. Reed Stevens (41), 6. John Zartarian (28), 7. Edoardo Piscopo (23), 8. Justin Moon (22), 9. Rob Bunker (21), 10. Race Johnson (19), 11. Matthew Lee (9), 12. Adrien Herberts (7), 13. Darin Marcus (7), 14. Doug Boyer (5), 15. Ryan Campbell (0), 16. Nathan DePagter (0), 17. Jules Duc (0), 18. Scott Harnell (0), 19. Ryan Phinny (0), 20. Tobias Hegewald (0)
Background:
Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level class in Formula racing. In 2005 the series will be held in Germany, Britain, 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 140 mph and by far exceeds the 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 2005, Formula BMW will be staged five times as part of the Formula One support program. All the series offer a multifaceted Education and Coaching Program as well as sponsorship for promising racing talents. The best-known alumni of this talent hothouse are Formula One drivers Ralf Schumacher and Christian Klien.
BMW Motorsport Director Dr. Mario Theissen: "Formula BMW offers talented young drivers more than just a car. In the Education and Coaching Program 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."
In December 2005 the Bahrain International Circuit will host the first Formula BMW World Final. Young racing drivers from the four regional Formula BMW series will compete against each other. The winner will get a Formula One test drive.
- Heike Bartsch, BMW -
