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Overview

In Shape for Success

'The goal we set ourselves from the outset was to build a car that would set new standards in the entry level Formulas.' 'Apart from the high safety standards, the most important characteristics of the Formula BMW FB2 car are its low cost, ease of maintenance and flexibility - the gear ratios, axle kinematics, shock absorbers and wings are all adjustable. So young drivers quickly get to grips with the process of setting up a car.' (Dr. Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director) The flaps on the front and rear wings of the car are adjustable, and as in Formula 1, it has a stepped underbody for safety reasons. A deliberate decision was made not to include a diffuser, so as to increase dynamic stability when driving in another car's slipstream or on uneven surfaces. The monocoque and nose of the Formula BMW FB2 are made of a special carbon fiber/Kevlar compound, making the car extremely light and strong.

The Formula BMW FB2 therefore meets the strict FIA safety requirements governing the much more powerful Formula 3 cars: static load tests on the monocoque and dynamic crash tests on the nose cone. The modular design of the cowling components means that damaged areas can be replaced at relatively little cost. This is the first time that the BMW brand identity has been used on a Formula racing car. The vehicle was designed by BMW's American subsidiary Designworks/USA, in close cooperation with BMW Motorsport in Munich and its French partner Mygale. With its excellent aerodynamics and safety standards, the Formula BMW FB2 is a worthy addition to the BMW family, and the distinctive kidney grille is a visual expression of its proud heritage.

Ultra-lightweight BMW Power
The Formula BMW FB2's powerful four-cylinder engine is taken from the BMW K1200RS motorcycle. Its 140 bhp is enough to accelerate the 1001 lbs car to a top speed of up to 140 mph, depending on the gear ratios used. There were some modifications made to the production engine: the exhaust manifold and silencer have been enhanced, a racing catalytic converter fitted and the engine management system modified. An airbox has also been used to create additional dynamic pressure in the inlet duct and thus generate more power.

The engine's performance characteristics are best at high revs, and the car therefore needs a gearbox capable of handling these. The chosen solution is a Hewland sequential six-speed differential transmission of the kind employed in the more powerful Formula 3 cars. Only a limited number of gear ratios are allowed, chosen for the smoothest possible power delivery on every circuit, while the cardan drive-based engine layout also ensures the best possible frictional connection in the drive train.

The ultra-lightweight engine has horizontal cylinders, making it much flatter than usual for a Formula car. The BMW FB2 therefore enjoys all the advantages of a very low centre of gravity.

The engine is sealed so that it cannot be tuned by the teams; only Schnitzer Motorsport is permitted to carry out engine maintenance. The result is a longer lifetime, lower maintenance costs, and higher level of equality among teams.

The BMW engine's low weight, high reliability and affordable spare parts make it the ideal choice for a racing car.

Safety: the only thing that matters more than speed
BMW Motorsport's top priority was to build a vehicle that set new standards in safety for a Formula racing car. In fact, the Formula BMW FB2 actually exceeded these initial aims. It meets each and every one of the safety requirements for the much more powerful cars used in Formula 3, and also incorporates many safety features previously found only on Formula One cars. For example, the wheel tethers are identical to those used by the BMW WilliamsF1 Team on the FW23, and keep the wheels on the car in the event of an accident so that they do not fly off and hit the driver, spectators or course marshalls. One safety feature deserving of particular attention is the FORS (FOrmula Rescue Seat), developed especially for the FB2. It includes a number of innovations that make it easier to rescue a driver from a crashed car. If necessary the driver can be removed from the car together with the seat and can be transported while still in it. This reduces the scope for error by the rescue team, ensures that the driver's spinal column is not subjected to any further strain, and saves valuable time and, potentially, lives. In addition, crash structures on the front and rear of the car increase its deformation length and thus absorb energy in the event of an impact, while an aluminum bulkhead prevent the wishbones from penetrating the monocoque.

All the safety features of the monocoque are compatible with the HANS (Head And Neck Support) safety system, which prevents excessive neck strain to the head in the event of a serious accident. The HANS system is mandatory for all drivers in the Formula BMW USA Championship.

Recording artistry
Because claiming high performance superiority is a system of choices, the car's set-up and performance need to be analysed in minute detail. The FB2 is fitted as standard with a data collection system, allowing the driver to access many pieces of information via the steering-wheel display; for example operating temperatures, pressures, lap times, and gear currently selected. An LED display is used to notify the driver of RPM and the optimum moment for gear changes.

Source - BMW

Formula BMW

BMW's commitment to young driving talent goes back as far as the 1970s, when the company supported the BMW Junior Team and the spectacular Procar series over many years. From 1991 to 2001, BMW was involved in the Formula ADAC championship as the engine supplier, helping gifted young drivers progress from go-karts to Formula racing. In many cases, these drivers subsequently went on to compete in international motor sports.

Indeed, over the past twelve years, well over forty beneficiaries of BMW ADAC Scholarships have made their way into Formula 3. The most famous graduate has to be Ralf Schumacher, who competed in his first Formula ADAC race on the Norisring in 1992 and is now one of the leading drivers in Formula 1.

In only its fourth year worldwide, Formula BMW has become one of the top choices of karters around the world to make the progression to race cars. The series provides a strong platform of races along with a diverse Education and Coaching Program. With the help of four championship series held in Germany, the UK, the United States and Asia, Formula BMW takes talented young drivers who have outgrown the kart track and introduces them to professional motor racing.

Philosophy
Even the best talent needs support. That is why BMW doesn't just offer gifted young go-kart drivers a seat in a Formula racing car - it promotes the most promising candidates as Formula BMW Juniors.

Apart from financial support, the young drivers are offered an Education and Coaching Program that gives them the best possible preparation for their career in motorsports. This program is of course also available to all other drivers in the championships.

The primary objective is to back motor racing at the grass-roots level by offering drivers the comprehensive training they need. Internationally applied sporting and technical regulations ensure that all participants compete against each other with identical equipment and in a fair, competitive environment. That means nobody gains an advantage through financial or technical means, and that is the basis of an absolutely level playing field in the context of relatively limited budgets.

As a vital part of experienced racing teams, the young talents get accustomed to the atmosphere in a professional single-seater series. The effectiveness of this concept has produced drivers such as Nico Rosberg, Ralf Schumacher, Christian Klien, Timo Glock and many more, who have made it from the Formula BMW into a Formula One cockpit.

The Fastest Classroom on Earth
Drivers wishing to compete in the Formula BMW Championship must first obtain their Junior or International C license. . Drivers as young as 15 can apply for a 'Junior' license as long as they turn 16 within their first year of racing in the category. Drivers older than 18 require a C-license to compete in a Formula BMW Series. Instruction for either two-day license course takes place at the Formula BMW Racing Center in Valencia, Spain, where drivers are taught both the theory and the practicalities of such subjects as set-ups, gear changes, braking, racing line, flags, regulations, standing starts, and how to behave while the safety car is on track.

All this is carried out under the professional supervision of Jörg Müller (current BMW works driver) and Mike Strotmann (Coordinator Formula BMW Racing Center). These two experts pass on their invaluable expertise to a new generation, and are responsible for short-listing talented young drivers and making the final assessment that determines who will be accepted into the BMW Motorsport Scholarship Program in the upcoming season.

Formula BMW is one of the world's leading entry-level classes in Formula racing.
Formula BMW is truly a global program by having championships not only in North America, but also in Germany, the UK and Asia. With its four championships, Formula BMW is now firmly rooted in racing calendars throughout the world and has become one of the leading entry-level introductions to single-seat car racing, a bridge between karting championships and more powerful formula cars.

The first Formula BMW championship was launched in Germany in 2002 together with long-term partner ADAC. The Formula BMW spread to Asia in 2003 and then to the USA and UK in 2004. Drivers come from many more countries than the four championships might suggest. Over thirty nations were represented in last year's German, Asian, British and North American championships.

The circuits visited are truly impressive: Spa-Francorchamps, Zandvoort and Hockenheim, Sepang and the fantastic Suzuka circuit. Brands Hatch and Silverstone have UK championship rounds, and the US calendar visits North America's best circuits like Mid-Ohio and Road Atlanta.

But globally, there are five weekends throughout the year that make the individual schedules really stand out - the Asian Sakhir (Bahrain) and Shanghai (China) rounds, the German Nurburgring event and the Montreal (Canada) and Indianapolis races in the US championship. There, Formula BMW will support rounds of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, putting the entire field of drivers under the watchful gaze of F1 team owners, who are, of course, their ideal employer of the future…

In December 2005 the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) hosted the first Formula BMW World Final where 35 young race drivers from the four regional Formula BMW series competed against each other for the grand prize: a test with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

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