Formula Middle East will use the same Formula BMWs used in the JK Racing Asia Series (JKRAS)

Tues 27th Nov – Motorsport Asia has announced an exciting new junior single seater initiative. It is a collaborative effort between Asia’s most established motorsport promoter and Bahrain International Circuit, ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’.

Formula Middle East will continue the legacy that Motorsport Asia has established since 1996 in Asia, where talented young drivers will be able to showcase their abilities in a tried and tested package on a truly International stage. The Series is based around the FB02 car, which has been running successfully since 2003, firstly as Formula BMW and since 2010, as the JK Racing Asia Series (JKRAS).

Formula Middle East aims to deliver a great leap forward in the search for, and development of, Middle East racing talents to become future world champions. In line with its concept of a single Team set-up, using identically prepared cars, the Formula Middle East will feature a comprehensive training and intensive support programme for drivers under the expertise of Eurointernational, the most successful Team in the history of Formula BMW and JKRAS. This is to ensure that only the most talented drivers, rather than the most financially healthy, will succeed.

“We have always been involved in creating the most professional and high level development categories to support young emerging talents on their way up the motorsport ladder, and I am delighted that we will be able to continue this in the Middle East, a Region that is crying out for a credible platform for young drivers looking to start a career,” said David Sonenscher, CEO of Motorsport Asia.

“This Championship will be all about quality and for that reason we are delighted to be involved not only with Bahrain International Circuit, who are ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, but also with Eurointernational who are the most outstanding Team we have ever worked with.

“For me it is quite simple, all the drivers are driving for the best Team now and they will all have the same chances and quality of equipment,” said Sonenscher.

The single Team setup will be structured in such a way as to enable the costs to be brought down significantly, whilst still maintaining the same level of support to Drivers that they would experience in a multiple Team set up. The total inclusive budget per season will be 32,000 Bahraini Dinar (approx EURO67,000 or US$85,000 or GBP 54,000).

“Bahrain International Circuit is proud to be working with Motorsport Asia on this new single-seater Championship, which we are confident can be a great success,” said Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, BIC Chief Executive.

“A professionally run single-seater Championship catering to our young but extremely talented drivers is what’s missing in the region today. This new initiative gives them a venue to develop their skills and compete against drivers their own age and skill-level, but at the same time have fun.

“There is a load of untapped potential both across the Middle East and Asia. Hopefully these guys can come up in this championship and use it as a stepping-stone to greater things in the future” ended Shaikh Salman.

Formula Middle East will consist of 19 races run over six weekends in the 2013 season starting on January 19th at the Bahrain International Circuit. The season is intended to run in Bahrain and around the United Arab Emirates.

Each round of the Championship will receive extensive TV coverage with a 30-minute program for each race being broadcast to over 100 countries around the globe.

The calendar is in the process of being finalized and will be announced before the end of November.