Formula BMW Asia 2005 - Round 2 - Bahrain - Race

Thai Triumphs in Bahrain.

Sakhir, Bahrain - Thailand's Robert Boughey (Team Meritus), 22, raced his way
to a superb maiden win in Round 2 of Formula BMW Asia at the Bahrain
International Circuit today. Boughey stole the march on pole-man and local
hero Salman Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain), 23, off the start and never looked
back. The BMW Junior didn't put a wheel wrong throughout the 10-lap race, and
took the chequered flag with a 1.344 second margin. Al Khalifa crossed the line
in second having dramatically taken fellow Bahraini Mohammed Al Baharna
(Minardi Team Asia) on the final lap.

Boughey, now embarking on his second Formula BMW Asia season, finished Round 1
in sixth position and his win today was the culmination of skill, determination
and sheer hard work. For Al Khalifa, winner of the opening round, and Al
Baharna, it was a proud moment to see the Bahrain flag flying on the podium at
their country's Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Al Khalifa tops the championship leaderboard after two rounds with 35 points,
followed by Boughey on 26, and Charlie-Ro Charlez (MAS/Team Meritus) just one
point adrift.

Said Al Khalifa of his final lap dash: "I was gunning for first all week -
pole positions and two wins - so I wasn't going to settle for anything less
than second!" Second he got, setting the fastest lap of the race in the
process. "I'm grateful to my team, Patrick (Roberts), my engineer who is so
experienced, and my sponsor and long-time supporter, local Motorsport outfit,
the Unstoppabulls."

For Boughey, it was a race to remember, but his start was key: "I had the revs
right, and just kept looking ahead. When I could see there was a gap, I eased
off slightly, and just concentrated on holding on."

At the start, Boughey roared off the line, flanked by Al Khalifa and Al Baharna
only inches behind, but held his line into Turn 1 and from that point on was
away and clear to the chequered flag. However, it was non-stop action behind
him with the two Bahraini drivers dicing with fellow countryman Hamed Al Fardan
(BAH/Team Meritus) and producing some thrilling on-track action.

Fifteen-year-old Indian driver, Armaan Ebrahim (Team E-Rain), greatly
impressed, just missing out on a podium finish to come in fourth, and topping
the Rookie Cup finishers. The talented youngster, son of India's first ever
Formula 3 driver, started from sixth on the grid but a mistake put him back
several places. However, he had worked his way back up through the field by the
chequered flag.

Second Rookie Cup finisher was Charlie-Ro Charlez, 19, who had scored a
phenomenal second place in Round 1 and leads the Rookie Cup standings from
Ebrahim after two rounds, with BMW Junior driver An Suk-Won (KOR/Team E-Rain),
18, in third.

Newcomers to the series, Ao's Racing Team, learned much from their first
weekend of Formula BMW Asia, and the development of the three China drivers,
particularly BMW Junior Wang Jian-Wei, 20 and Chia On, just 15, will be
fascinating to follow through the season.

Rounds 3 and 4 of Formula BMW Asia will be held at Malaysia's Sepang
International Circuit on May 14 and 15.

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 FB2 race car.

This racing car has been seen on the grid since 2002 and has set standards
particularly on the safety technology front. A single-seater propelled by a 140
bhp BMW motorcycle engine up to 230km/h, it exceeds by far the safety
requirements for its class. BMW Motorsport has developed the FORS Formula
Rescue Race Seat especially for Formula BMW and the HANS safety system is also
mandatory.

In 2005, Formula BMW will be staged five 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 Ralf Schumacher,
Christian Klien and Timo Glock.

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."

Round 2 Results
POS NO Driver/Nat Entrant Time
1 68 *Robert BOUGHEY (THA) Team Meritus 21:50.528
2 7 Salman Rashid AL KHALIFA (BAH) Team E-Rain + 1.344
3 5 # Mohammed AL BAHARNA (BAH) Minardi Team Asia + 2.307
4 17 ÿ*Armaan EBRAHIM (IND) Team E-Rain + 11.495
5 88 ÿCharlie-Ro CHARLES (MAS) Team Meritus + 12.035
6 61 ÿ*AN Suk-Won (KOR) Team E-Rain + 14.898
7 29 ÿ*Michael Tony PATRIZI (AUS) Team Meritus + 18.519
8 4 ÿDejan de ZOYSA (SRI) Minardi Team Asia + 30.133
9 58 Mitsunobu ENDO (JPN) Team Meritus + 51.140
10 99 #SONG Ge (CHN) Ao's Racing Team + 55.410
11 9 ÿ*WANG Jian-Wei (CHN) Ao's Racing Team + 1:01.897
12 20 #CHIA On (HKG) Ao's Racing Team + 1:42.441
13 3 # Abdulla Ebrahim MATTAR (BAH) Minardi Team Asia + 1: 56.843
14 38 Hamed AL FARDAN (BAH) Team Meritus + 1 Lap
DNF 22 Jonathan CHAN (HKG) Minardi Team Asia
*Scholarship driver
ÿRookie Cup
# Non-Series Registered

Fastest Lap: Salman Rashid Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain) 2:09.405/150.559kph

Pole Position: Salman Rashid Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain) 2:09.807/150.093kph

Formula BMW Asia Points Standings after Round 2
1.Salman Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain) 35 points, 2. Robert Boughey (THA/Team
Meritus) 26 points, 3. Charlie-Ro Charlez (MAS/Team Meritus) 25 points, 4.
Armaan Ebrahim (IND/Team E-Rain) 20 points, 5. Michael Patrizi (AUS/Team
Meritus) 18 points, 6. An Suk-Won (KOR/Team E-Rain) 12 points, 7. Hamed Al
Fardan (BAH/Team Meritus) 11 points, 8.Wang Jian-Wei (CHN/Ao's Racing Team) 5
points, 9. Mitsunobu Endo (JPN/Team Meritus) 5 points, 10. Dejan de Zoysa
(SRI/Minardi Team Asia) 5 points.

Rookie Cup Standings after Round 2
1.Charlie-Ro Charlez 35 points, 2. Armaan Ebrahim 32 points, 3. Michael Patrizi
25 points, 4. An Suk-Won 22 points, 5. Wang Jian-Wei 14 points, 6. Dejan de
Zoysa 14 points.

Statistics

Winners 2005: Al Khalifa (1), Boughey (1)

Pole Positions: Al Khalifa (2)

Podiums: Al Khalifa (2), Boughey (1), Al Baharna (1), Charlez (1), Patrizi (1)

Championship Points: 1.Salman Al Khalifa (BAH/Team E-Rain) 35 points, 2. Robert
Boughey (THA/Team Meritus) 26 points, 3. Charlie-Ro Charlez (MAS/Team Meritus)
25 points, 4. Armaan Ebrahim (IND/Team E-Rain) 20 points, 5. Michael Patrizi
(AUS/Team Meritus) 18 points

Rookie Cup Winners: Charlez (1), Ebrahim (1)

Rookie Cup Points: 1.Charlie-Ro Charlez 35 points, 2. Armaan Ebrahim 32 points,
3. Michael Patrizi 25 points