DRIVER REPORT : Formula V6 Asia : Earl Bamber

My Team Qi-Meritus.Mahara has confirmed that Earl Bamber will join the team for its second GP2 Asia season with Malaysian driver Alex Yoong.

New Zealander Bamber joins the team from a triumphant A1GP weekend in Zandvoort where he was representing his country. He joined new team mate Alex Yoong in testing with My Team Qi-Meritus.Mahara on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday this week during the GP2 Asia official tests at the Chinese GP circuit.

Bamber, current Championship leader in the Formula V6 Asia, commented “It is a great honour to be associated with such a strong team as My Team Qi Meritus.Mahara that I have known ever since we won the Formula BMW Asia Championship in 2006 together. I am convinced that it is one of the most professional teams in the paddock and we will not fail to score points again from the first race of the season. I hope that my experience in A1 Grand Prix will help us work our way up the overall championship.

“I missed the first part of the test session because I was still travelling from Holland to Shanghai. It is a different car to A1. The package is good and there is a lot more grip. I suppose it will take me a while to get used to the car. We will be ready for the first race next week. I am so pleased to be back with a team that I know well”.

Gianfranco Bielli, team principal commented: “We are excited to have Earl driving with us in GP2 Asia. It will be a good experience for him and he has a lot to learn, but is very quick and continues to impress with every lap he covers”.

Peter Thompson, team founder; “Our driver line up is a great combination between Alex Yoong’s experience and Earl Bamber’s raw young speed. We have a good combination of talents for our Asian and Middle Eastern team. The first race will be the start to an exciting second season in GP2 Asia and we hope to all be fighting at the front”.

The first round of the season will take place at Shanghai on 18-19 October, as a support race to the F1 Grand Prix weekend. The season will take in six, two-race rounds ending in Bahrain on 19 April 2009.

Prepared by www.meritusracing.com