Asian Motor Sports

Young New Zealand racing driver Dominic Storey is keen to build on his breakthrough Formula BMW Asia performance in Beijing last month at the Indonesian round of the 2006 series at Sentul this weekend.

The Auckland 16-year-old set the second fastest time in qualifying then finished second in the first race at Beijing, confirming the potential that won him one of three US$50,000 scholarships to compete in this year’s pan-Asia single-seater motor racing series.

Storey currently lies fourth in the Rookie Cup and fifth in the overall points standings, some achievement considering that this time last year he was still racing karts in New Zealand.

The 3.9km Sentul circuit is one of the jewels in the crown of the Formula BMW Asia circuit and Storey is looking forward to again taking the fight to his older and more experienced counterparts in the series.

“The main thing I want to do is build and improve on my result in China,” he said.

“Beijing was a level playing field because no-one had been there before and I think you will find the same thing at Sentul.

“I knew before the start of the season that it was going to be hard at Sepang (the Malaysian circuit where the first two Formula BMW Asia meetings were held this year), because some of the drivers in the series have either been racing or testing there for two years.

“I think at Sentul, the only driver who will know the circuit is my teammate at Eurasia, Zahir Ali, and he has only run there once or twice, so like Goldenport in China, it will be the same for virtually everyone.”

Going into this weekend’s meeting, the fourth of seven, with three races at each, the 2006 Formula BMW Asia series is being led by young Australian driver Sam Abay with 130 points from Storey’s fellow Kiwi Earl Bamber (104) and Thai-based British driver James Grunwall third with 90 points.

Another young Australian driver, Daniel Ricciardo, is fourth with 87 points with Storey fifth on 60.

Formula BMW is the world’s leading entry-level class in Formula racing. 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. (Via xtra MSN)