Sunday, 19th October 2008 : The round 14 and 15 of the Formula BMW Pacific Championship was combined with the Shanghai’s Formula 1 GP. This meant just thirty minutes of practice for the youngsters driving the Formula BMW, and for Aditya Patel this was the first time in Shanghai. The Chennai lad adapted well in practice and went on to post some good times.

In qualifying, Aditya's gearbox started giving him problems and managed to just get one reasonable lap which put him 9th on the grid. Unable to complete another good lap meant that his second fastest lap put him 15th on the grid for Race 2.

With his usual flair, Aditya was up to 6th position at the end of the first lap and making a bid for fifth position, when he found Melvin Moh who was in 4th right in front. Avoiding Melvin sent Aditya into a spin and back to 13th place. The next lap on, his gearbox started to act up, refusing to get into 3rd and 4th gear. Again, in spite of his problem, he fought back to finish in 9th place in Race 1.

Race 2 started well, seeing him move up to 11th from 15th, and the gearbox gave up again, this time from the 3rd lap, and including not being able to engage 2nd gear. He finally finished 13th again out of 17 starters. Overall it was a race of mixed emotions as he had clocked fastest in the speed trap in race 1, and joint fastest in Race 2.

Aditya is now placed overall in 9th place and 4th in Rookies. Smiling as usual, Aditya now is looking forward to the next race at Macau, and hopes to have no mechanical problems that have been plaguing him through the year.

Championship Points

1.Ross Jamison (HKG/Meritus) 218 points; 2. Sean McDonagh (KOR/Team E-Rain) 161 points; 3. Simon Moss (RSA/Mahara) 132 points; 4. Gabriel Chaves (COL/Atlantic Racing Team) 110 points; 5. Ryuichi Nara (JPN/Team E-Rain) 102 points; 6. Melvin Moh (MAS/Team Holzer PFX) 102 points; 7. Chris Wootton (AUS/Meritus) 92 points; 8. Marlon Stöckinger (PHI/Eurasia Motorsport) 70 points; 9. Aditya Patel (IND/Eurasia Motorsport) 56 points; 10. Imran Shaharom (MAS/Team Holzer PFX) 56 points;

Rookie Cup

1.Simon Moss, 2. Chris Wootton, 3. Marlon Stöckinger; 4. Aditya Patel, 5.Dominic Ang, 6.Arvin Roslan 7. Omer Younas.

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