Photo: BMW AG
15-year-old German emerges from a competitive field to come out on top in the Grand Final weekend at Oschersleben…
Last year’s inaugural Formula BMW Talent Cup was dominated throughout by Stefan Wackerbauer, but the 2012 edition was totally different. Several of the 12 drivers could have won the title, which would be decided by the points accumulated over the three races at Oschersleben.
Louis Deletraz, the son of former F1 tail-ender Jean-Denis, took pole position but was beaten to victory in the first race by fellow Swiss driver Ralph Boschung, while Romania’s Ioan Mihnea Stefan was second and Deletraz third. Deletraz won the second race to move into the points lead. Tristan Viidas added a second place to his fourth from the first race, while Marvin Dienst made up for a disappointing ninth place in race one to completed the podium. Boschung was fourth.
Deletraz and Boschung were fighting over the lead in race three when they collided, handing the lead to Dienst who had already jumped from fifth to third at the start. The win tied him on points with Viidas, who finished fourth, but courtesy of the better result Dienst was declared the champion. Mexican Alfonso Celis was second in the final race and Stefan third – where he also finished overall.
Boschung’s retirement dropped him to fifth in the final standings ahead of Celis, Fabian Schiller and Hugo de Sadeleer. Red Bull Junior Callan O’Keeffe won several of the practice races earlier in the season together with Viidas, but faltered at the final and only finishing ninth overall. Deletraz was reportedly excluded following a post-race incident in the pitlane.