Championships
Germany & Europe Formula BMW ADAC is sanctioned by the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club e.V., Europe's largest automobile association. It was immediately popular with teams and drivers alike, attracting 32 entries in its first season.[34] Since 2004, the ADAC championship has included a support event for the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.[35] 2002 champion Nico Rosberg joined the Williams Formula One team in 2006 and the 2004 champion Sebastian Vettel became a test driver for the BMW Sauber team later the same year.[36] He has since graduated to a full-time Formula One race driver, setting several driver's record and becoming the youngest Formula One champion in history after the 2010 Formula One Championship season. The 2005 championship was decided in an appeal court, which penalised Switzerland's Sebastian Buemi with a 60-second penalty for a driving infringement. This handed the title to Nico Hulkenberg. In the immediate aftermath of the incident in question, both drivers had been given 30-second penalties.[37] The 2006 champion, Christian Vietoris, went on to dominate that year's World Final in Valencia, in which he secured pole position, finished in first place in all three qualification heats, and won the final itself.[38] The German series merged with the UK series to form the BMW Europe series in 2008. The series raced for three years before being axed at the end of the 2010 season, in favour of the new Formula BMW Talent Cup, which started in 2011.[1][39] [edit]Asia & Pacific Main article: JK Rac ng Asia Series Formula BMW Asia was the second championship to be created. It was inaugurated in 2003 under the management of Motorsport Asia Limited,[40] and functioned as a replacement for Asian Formula 2000. Its creation is part of the growth in popularity of organised single seater motorsport in east Asia, and it forms the start of a career ladder below the Asian Formula 3 Pacific Series and Formula V6 Asia. Events have been held at Sepang in Malaysia; Bira in Thailand; Sentul in Indonesia; and Shanghai, Zhuhai, Beijing in China, Macau and Singapore. It has appeared on the support bill at the Malaysian, Chinese, Bahrain, Macau and Singapore Grand Prix.[35] It was renamed Formula BMW Pacific for the 2008 season. [edit]United States & Americas Founded in 2004 and originally known as Formula BMW USA, the series changed its name to Formula BMW Americas starting with the 2008 season. The series was sanctioned by IMSA, and it has appeared on the support bill for ALMS, Champ Car, Grand-Am, Indy Racing League and Formula One events. In its first four years of existence (2004–2007), the Formula BMW USA series supported both the Canadian and United States Formula One Grands Prix.[41] The 2007 BMW USA champion was the previous season's Rookie of the Year, Daniel Morad of Canada, who secured the title with six wins. Mexico's Esteban Gutierrez took over the Rookie title.[42] Greg Mansell at Goodwood The Americas championship was disbanded at the conclusion of the 2009 season which saw only 13 drivers participate in a race.