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NEWS Formula BMW - 2008

     

14.09.2008 Formula BMW Europe - Races 15 + 16 - Monza

     

Esteban Gutiérrez is Formula BMW Europe 2008 Champion - Teammate Marco Wittmann runner up and Team Josef Kaufmann Racing is Formula BMW Europe Team Trophy Winner 2008

     

Free Practise: On the high speed circuit of Monza the free practise was held under wet conditions. The Kaufmann Drivers had been on top of the timing screens for a long while untill the track started to dry up. In the end every lap was getting quicker and finally the Kaufmann Drivers were on the positions 9 - Wittmann, 11 - Gutiérrez and 14 - Manzur.

 

Qualifying: In the Qualifying session the track was dry again. Gutiérrez and Wittmann had been the fastest two drivers throughout the whole Qualifying untill the final lap. Both drivers had set their times without any draft during their lap. In the end some drivers who catched a draft had set faster lap times and Gutiérrez was dropped back to 6th and Wittmann to 8th position. For the second race Gutiérrez was 3rd and Wittmann 4th on the grid. A disappointing qualifying had Kazeem Manzur. He was only able to qualify on P18 and 22.

 

Race 1: At the start to the first race Gutiérrez moved up directly into 4th position. Shortly after that he overtook the 3rd placed driver and was catching up the leader. Fighting hard for the lead Gutiérrez had contact and damaged his car. Parts of the sidebox and engine cover were loose and Gutiérrez had to carry on with a damaged car. In the meantime Marco Wittmann overtook Gutiérrez and both dirvers were battleing for the lead. In the end after many overtaking moves Wittmann finished 3rd just ahead of Teammate Gutiérrez on 4th position. Kazeem Manzur had to retire after a strong starting phase due to an unblamable contact of another driver.

 

Race 2: The final race of the season was started under wet conditions. Marco Wittmann took over 2nd position in the first corner, followed by Esteban Gutiérrez on 3rd place. From that point on both drivers attacked the leader but didin´t find a way pass him under those very challengeing conditions. In the end the three leading cars passed the start finish line side by side and with one thenth of a second Wittmann and Gutiérrez had been beaten. Wittmann took 2nd place, Gutiérrez finished 3rd. A very strong performance showed Kazeem Manzur. Started from 22 place down the grid the fouhgt his way up to a great 8th position in the end and scored his best season result.

 

 

Overall the Team of Josef Kaufmann Racing is looking back to most successful season in Formula BMW so far:

 

Esteban Gutiérrez won 7 races, had 12 podium finishes and won the championship title of the Formula BMW Europe 2008. Teammate Marco Wittmann secured the Vize Championship Title of Formula BMW Europe 2008 with 1 victory and 11 podium finishes. In addition the Team of Josef Kaufmann also won the the title "Formula BMW Europe Team Trophy Winner 2008".

 

 

The Formula BMW Europe Season 2008 in numbers:

 

1. Place Formula BMW Europe 2008 - Esteban Gutiérrez

2. Place Formula BMW Europe 2008 - Marco Wittmann

18. Place Formula BMW Europe 2008 - Kazeem Manzur

 

8 Victories

7 x 2nd Place

8 x 3rd Place

 

4 Pole Positions

 

1. Place Formula BMW Europe Team Championship 2008 - Josef Kaufmann Racing

 

     
     
Pictures from Monza