Formula Bmw: Hylkema?s Next Career Step

A month from now, a young racer named Thomas Hylkema will make his official debut in German Formula BMW championship on the street circuit of the Norisring. Hylkema will be part of the Eifelland Racing team this season. The team has already completed its driver lineup after signing the young racer. Besides the Dutch will field cars for BMW Sauber Daniel Campos, Jens Klingmann and Tiago Geronimi. As part of its preparations, the protégé of racing driver Phil Bastiaans completed many tests in the Formula BMW and he is eager for the next step in the beginning of his racing career. Monday Hylkema got through a successful test day at the Belgian Spa-Francorchamps circuit. In 2003, Hylkema started his career in a kart. A year after, he drove into the Vortex Rok. In 2005 he raced for Martijn Koene. Hylkema twice finished fifth in the championship finals. Last year he moved to the Benelux Racing League Light and drove to the Colle Rental Sales & Racing Team. Hylkema wanted to go to the next step in his career and the Formula BMW seemed to make the best choice. This is because most of the races are held as support races at the DTM, WTCC and Formula 1 weekend. Hylkema, at the Delft University of Technology, won the race at the Nurburgring and started from pole position once at Zolder. In this series, he met the experienced Phil Bastiaans. The two established good friendship and camaraderie that are related to their passion - racing. Bastiaans and Hylkema went to the DELL Formula BMW World Final at Valencia in Spain, where the best 36 riders of the four Formula BMW championships competed to bag the World Champion Formula BMW title. After a few conversations with Eifelland Racing Hylkema was invited for a test with the team. "Formula BMW is a world-renowned feeder series for young talented drivers. Drivers such as Ralf Schumacher, Christian Klien, Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel more recently found their way into Formula 1 from Formula BMW. Because all races are driven into the Formula 1, WTCC and DTM weekend, the series is definitely one of broad media attention, "said Hylkema. He added, "The use of identical cars, engines, tires and fuel for all participants allows the driver the most important factor in this championship. It is an ideal opportunity for me to start this series. I am now an excellent team and have a very experienced team owner who wants to teach me everything I need to know. After a good preparation, which I know a number of different types of tracks, I'm really looking forward to finally make my debut in a Formula BMW the Norisring! " Formula BMW car driven by a powerful four-valve engine cylinder/16 and is equipped with a sequential gearbox with Formula 3 BMW CV boot.