A unique opportunity awaits aspiring motorsport enthusiasts as the BMW Race Driver Series Scholarship opens its doors for the upcoming 2023-2024 E46 Championship season. The prestigious scholarship offers a fully equipped motorsport experience to the chosen recipient, providing an immersive racing journey.
While previous driving and racing experience is preferred, it is not a mandatory requirement for entry into the scholarship. Applicants will be evaluated on various criteria, including driver ability, driver development potential, and panel interview skills during the Scholarship Event, scheduled to take place at the Hampton Downs Motorsport Park on Saturday, August 26, 2023.
The Scholarship Day consists of a morning driving session, which determines the top 10 applicants for the afternoon evaluation. The top 10 candidates then engage in race driver tuition, evaluation, and a panel interview. Over the course of the day, candidates are also treated to hot laps with some of the Series’ top drivers. The final selection and presentation will include the top three applicants, with the ultimate recipient receiving the BMW Race Driver Series Scholarship for the season.
The BMW Race Driver Series Scholarship offers an extensive range of benefits for the selected recipient during the 2023-2024 E46 Championship season. The scholarship includes the provision of a BMW E46 320i, manual transmission race car compliant with E46 technical regulations. It covers the BMW Race Driver Series Annual Registration fee, Round Entry fees, BMW Car Club New Zealand Membership, and mechanical engineering services.
The Scholarship gives drivers a chance to compete in a very competitive and respected race series, in an almost fully funded E46 320i alongside a bunch of great guys and gals. Previous recipients of the scholarship have succeeded in winning the E30 Championship (the predecessor to the E46), and others have been successful in moving on to the next step in motorsport or joining the BMW Race Driver Series in their own car.
Past winners include Tom Grooten (2014-15), Robert Hill (2015-2016), Jordan Baldwin (2016-2017), Tim Dawson (2017-2018), Peter Bennett (2018-2019), Josh Donohue (2019-2020), James Faulkner (2020-2021) and most recently Keegan Hickson (2022-2023).
As for eligibility, applicants must be at least 16 years old and possess a Restricted Driver’s license or have a Motorsport NZ C Grade License if aged between 12 and 16. A motorsport résumé is not mandatory but is encouraged, as it allows applicants to showcase their passion for motorsport and express their desire to pursue the scholarship.
The racing season for the BMW Race Driver Series is expected to commence in September 2023, with the first round, taking place at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park. The complete calendar for the 2023-2024 season will be available on the official website soon.
To apply for the BMW Race Driver Series Scholarship, interested individuals need to download and complete an application form from the official website, www.bmwraceseries.co.nz, and submit it along with a copy of their motorsport résumé and relevant licenses to scholarship@bmwraceseries.co.nz. The deadline for applications is Friday, August 18, 2023.
For further inquiries or to seek clarification on any aspect of the BMW Race Driver Series Scholarship, interested individuals can contact scholarship@bmwraceseries.co.nz. The organisers are more than willing to provide assistance and promptly respond to questions regarding the scholarship.
