Ahead of the official start of the 2013 Formula BMW Talent season, the participants met in Switzerland for a four-day fitness training camp. An international training team, which advises Formula 1 luminaries such as Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton on performance-related training, provided the young motorsport talents with the foundation for fitness training and optimal preparation for competition.

The Formula BMW Talent Cup class of 2013 took another important step towards the start of the season, which gets underway at the end of April in Calafat, by attending the all-important seat-fitting session in Hamburg. The cockpits of the single-seater Formula BMW FB02 racing cars were adjusted to fit the talented young drivers, who are being comprehensively prepared for a successful career in professional motor racing by BMW. This is an important aspect of the technical preparations, as only with an optimal seat position within the car is it possible to ensure that the drivers feel comfortable in the Formula BMW FB02 and can consequently produce the best possible performances over the course of the coming season.

The 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup season is officially underway. The talented young drivers, who BMW is preparing comprehensively for a successful career in professional motorsport, can now look forward to their first on-track event: BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt welcomed this year’s drivers to the Welcome Event at BMW Motorsport in Munich. In doing so, he gave the official starting signal for the 2013 season. Between now and autumn of this year, the participants will take to the track at renowned European racetracks, where they will face a multitude of driving challenges at the wheel of the BMW FB02 single-seater racing car. The talented youngsters will also receive comprehensive theoretical training.

Circuit: Circuit de Calafat, Spain

Length: 3.250 kilometres

Corners: 16

Website: www.circuitcalafat.com

The class of 2013 in the Formula BMW Talent Cup has successfully completed a comprehensive training programme at its first on-track event of the year in Calafat, Spain. Each driver spent a good 200 laps at the wheel of the Formula BMW FB02 single-seater racing car over the course of the three training days at the 3.250-kilometre Circuit de Calafat, which is located about 140 kilometres south-west of Barcelona. The talented youngsters, who are receiving comprehensive preparation for a successful career in professional racing courtesy of BMW, also had to undergo more fitness tests. Technical workshops and extensive media training completed the first of seven practical training modules on the way to the “Grand Final” in autumn 2013.

Notable guest at the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup: BMW DTM driver Andy Priaulx paid a visit to the simulator training in the iZone Driver Performance Centre in Silverstone, and passed on some of his extensive knowledge to this year’s talented youngsters, who BMW is sustainably preparing for a successful career in professional motor racing. The three-time World Touring Car Champion and 2004 European Touring Car Champion was on hand throughout the three-day simulator training to offer assistance regarding strategic and tactical race preparation

Website: www.izoneperformance.com

Circuit: Anderstorp Raceway, Sweden

FIA Grade: 2

Length: 4.025 kilometres

Corners: 8

Website: www.anderstorpraceway.net

Website: www.izoneperformance.com

Circuit: Red Bull Ring, Austria

FIA Grade: 1

Length: 4.326 kilometres

Corners: 9

Website: www.projekt-spielberg.at

Circuit: Slovakiaring, Slovakia

FIA Grade: 3

Length: 5.922 kilometres

Corners: 14

Website: www.slovakiaring.sk

Circuit: Hungaroring, Hungary

FIA Grade: 1

Length: 4.381 kilometres

Corners: 16

Website: www.hungaroring.hu

Circuit: etropolis Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, Deutschland

FIA Grade: 2

Length: 3.696 kilometres

Corners: 14

Website: www.motorsportarena.com