Sy ready for Bahrain Formula BMW race

Youthful Filipino Tyson Sy will take to the tarmac this weekend at the brand new Sakhir Circuit in Bahrain, the venue of this Sunday’s inaugural Formula One Grand Prix of Bahrain. The 16-year-old race driver, who is sponsored by San Miguel Corp. and supported by Demvels Motorsports and A-toy Body Kits, will see action in the first leg of the 2004 Formula BMW Asia Series which is being held as a supporting race for the F1 event on April 3-4.

Sy, who finished second in the series’ Rookie Class last year and is considered one of the favorites to win this weekend, is upbeat about racing in the Middle East. "I’m really excited because it’s the first time that I’ll be racing in Bahrain," Sy said. "It’s a track which is new to all of the drivers and that gives everyone an equal chance to win." Sy will be campaigning this year under the banner of the newly organized Eurasia Motorsport (Minardi Team Asia), which is the "farm team" of the European Minardi Formula One Team.

The former karting star recently took a Formula Toyota car around the Batangas Racing Circuit, where he broke the unofficial track record of 1:32.8 set by Japanese Edgesport driver Youhi Sekiguchi in an identical car by almost one second.