PETRONAS Formula Xperience Racing School
Season 2007 - Fourth Training Session
Sepang International Circuit (Full Track)
26 to 28 October 2007

Session 4 Report: BMW Works Driver Augusto Farfus Joins PFX Training Force for session 4

Sepang, 28 October 2007 – After a lay-off of nearly six weeks since their last training session, the PETRONAS Formula Xperience (PFX) Season 2007 drivers were back at Sepang to commence with the fourth training installment of the season. Taking place on the full length of the Sepang circuit, the session was used as the prelude to the young drivers’ first school race of the season in under two weeks.

BMW Works driver Augusto Farfus with the PFX Season 2007 Drivers

Banking on the experience of racing instructors, the training staff for this session this time included the 2001 European Formula Renault and 2003 F3000 Euro Series Champion, current BMW Works driver in the 2007 World Touring Car Championship, Brazilian Augusto Farfus. The 23-year old from Curtiba in Brazil was on hand as part of the teaching staff to help guide the drivers both on and off the track, imparting his experience and advice to help prepare the drivers for their first school race of the season.

The three-day training session was designed to give the drivers maximum track time with continuous free practice sessions in addition to classroom session to acquaint the drivers with more technical aspects of the school car. The wet track condition on Saturday morning and the mid-afternoon rain on Sunday also allowed the drivers to practice adapting their driving styles to suit wet track conditions.

As the PFX school races are designed to simulate the format of a Formula BMW Asia series, the drivers were also acquainted with race procedures as well as the relevant sporting codes. This included both theoretical and practical training on the start, safety car and suspended race procedures. The drivers also continued their fitness training, with an emphasis on improving and developing the drivers’ endurance levels.

Augusto Farfus, Guest Instructor, PFX Racing School, “It was a pleasure to be in Malaysia to help these young drivers develop a career in motorsports. They have a wonderful opportunity thanks to PETRONAS, who has given them the right approach into becoming future champions. I hope I can come back soon to teach and work with drivers from Malaysia. Overall the drivers made a big improvement over the three days and I am sure that they will be ready to start the school race and be very quick. We could see that the lap times were dropping over the course of the session and the drivers were giving good feedback on the car. They are well on the way to becoming real race car drivers.”