Thompson signs perfect Pena deal
Added: 24th December 2008
By Declan Quigley
Wednesday December 24 2008
Gary Thompson has received the perfect Christmas present with the news that he has signed a deal with Pena Motorsport to lead their team in the Formula BMW Pacific series in 2009.
The 16-year-old former kart racer from Donabate, Co Dublin will start his car racing career with the Philippines-based team after an extensive test programme with a variety of teams in the Asian region.
"I'm really excited about my first season in cars and I can't wait to get back to work with Pena Motorsport," said Thompson who carries support from Aviation Displays.
"It's a very professional team and I'm looking forward to developing as a driver. I'll be pushing hard all year and I can't wait to get going."
Agreement
Pena Motorsport team principal Dado Pena is delighted to have completed a deal with Thompson, who, he believes, will be one of the leading rookies in the 2009 Formula BMW Pacific series.
Pena Motorsport Driver Development Team Manager John O'Hara from Kildare has followed Gary's progress since his early days in cadet karting and is looking forward to overseeing the next phase of his fellow countryman's career.
"I know that it's long been his career strategy to target the Formula BMW series in Asia and I'm very excited that he has chosen us," said former A1 Team Ireland driver O'Hara.
Thompson graduates to car racing after a karting career which included a fine third overall in the 2007 British Super One JICA championship.
He finished fourth in the Margutti Trophy event at the beginning of 2008 before illness and exam commit-ments forced a change of plans and he focused on preparation for a debut in cars in 2009.
- Declan Quigley
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