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November 9, 2006 - Herberts is SCCBC Pro Driver of the Year

Coquitlam, B.C. - Two-year veteran Formula BMW driver Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. received some nice recognition for a job well-done recently when he was awarded the Professional Driver of the Year trophy by the Sports Car Club of British Columbia in Vancouver.

The SCCBC has been the organizer of road racing in Southern British Columbia for many years, having operated the famous Westwood circuit, and is now putting on amateur road races at River's Edge Roadcourse in Mission, B.C.

Over the years, the SCCBC has recognized the achievements of local drivers in the highest ranks of racing, awarding the trophy to the likes of the late Greg Moore, Frank Allers and Ross Bentley. Adrien Herberts has now joined these greats in the SCCBC pantheon.

"This is certainly a very pleasant surprise for me. To have my name on this trophy with drivers I admire like Greg Moore is a great honour and I thank the SCCBC for the recognition," Adrien said at the awards banquet.

Meanwhile, Adrien's racing season has not yet concluded, as he plans to jet over to Valencia, Spain to take part in the Formula BMW World Finals from November 24-26. The best Formula BMW racers from all over the world will be there, so the competition will be fierce for the grand prize of a test in a BMW Formula One car.

Not only that, but he is scheduled to have another test in a Champ Car Atlantic Series car soon, with an eye to joining that series in 2007, so there will be very little "off-season" for the 17 year-old racer.

Next year's racing plans will be announced in due course, but in the meantime, when he isn't driving a race car somewhere, Adrien Herberts is back in school completing his Grade 12 studies.


October 9, 2006 - Herberts takes next step.

Coquitlam, B.C. – Two-year veteran Formula BMW driver Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. took the next step in his progression up the racing ladder, testing a Champ Car Atlantic car for the first time recently. The 17 year-old strapped into the Atlantic car driven to several race victories this year by Graham Rahal, and didn’t miss a beat as he looked right at home in a car that is much more capable in every way than the car he has been driving for two years.

“It accelerates like a rocket out of the corners, brakes much harder, and has much more grip in the corners. I was surprised that it didn’t take as much getting used to as I thought it would, though. After ten laps, I was pushing it pretty hard, as hard as I could, and it wasn’t too hard to adjust to. It was really fun.”

“We did a half-day in the car, and at the end, our best time was only one-tenth of a second off the best time of the driver who finished second in Formula BMW.” Indeed, Adrien was on his best lap of the day, already three-tenths quicker than before, when his car ran out of gas. “But that didn’t really matter. The goal was to learn about driving the Atlantic car, and to enjoy it. We plan to do another day of testing in the car.”

Driving Coach Danny Kok was very pleased with the job Adrien did. “He took to the car really well, and was very quick. He never put a wheel wrong.”

“We’d certainly like to race the season with the Mi-Jack Conquest team in 2007, and they seem interested in my being with them, so we’ll have to see,” Adrien says. Much will depend on business arrangements, of course.

It is still possible that Adrien could race in the Formula BMW World Finals in Spain in November, but that hasn’t been confirmed. “We are not sure yet if we are going there,” he says. If he does, he’d be able to measure himself against all the best Formula BMW drivers in the world.

Next year’s racing plans will be announced in due course, but in the meantime, Adrien Herberts is back in the classroom completing his Grade 12 studies.


September 4, 2006 - Herberts with a 'Slick' Finish in Toronto

Coquitlam, B.C. – Mosport, a highly challenging track, was the location for the final races of the Formula BMW USA Championship. The championship had not gone his way, but Adrien Herberts set out to prove that he is still one of the top young drivers in North America, and to secure himself a drive in the next level of racing.

The conditions led to a wet racetrack for Saturday, and for most of Sunday. Qualifying 11th in both races, Adrien was in a good position to make a strong run for a top 5 finish. Then, the rain came.

The conditions were the cause of groaning up and down the paddock, but not from Adrien's garage. Having already secured a podium in similar conditions earlier in the year, Adrien knew he had a good shot at a repeat performance.

After a strong start, Adrien moved up steadily in Saturdays race, coming up to 5th before spinning in an exceptionally treacherous stretch of the track. Disappointed with what otherwise would have been a sure-fire podium, Herberts knew the only way to conquer the rain was to get right back at. He charged back to finish 13th.

Sunday's race was when the revenge on Mother Nature took place. As the cars lined up and the drivers began getting in, the rain stopped. The track began drying ever so slightly, so Adrien's Driving coach Danny Kok made the call to change to slick tires. Instead of lining up for the practice lap before starting, Herberts pulled into the pits and completed an Indy-style pit stop to change his Rain Tires to Slick (dry-weather) tires. Despite starting dead last because the tire change, Adrien charged up through the field thanks in part to the gutsy call by Kok. While other front runners had made the change after Herberts, most of the field remained on wet tires, which were very slow on a dry racetrack. Herberts made 3 passes on the final lap to finish on the podium, including a hair-raising pass in the last corner.

"It was the most brilliant, and exhilarating last lap of my entire career. As I was coming up to the third place car, I thought, 'this is it. This is the hero or zero moment'".

Adrien now looks towards testing in an Atlantic Race car in preparation for next season.


August 15, 2006 - Herberts Starts and Ends Denver Event on a High Note

Coquitlam, B.C. – Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. continued his Formula BMW campaign at Denver, Colorado last weekend looking to improve on his performance, and he did that but still suffered from circumstances beyond his control.

Qualifying for the first of the two weekend races on Saturday saw him put in one of his best sessions of the season, scoring 7th place on the grid, with hopes that he would be in a position to once again challenge for the podium.

But it was not to be as, in the first turn, an overly aggressive driver slid into him and then stopped in front of his car. The car was okay, but he had to reverse to get out of the congestion, and found himself at the tail end of the race. As Adrien describes it, “I put a charge on and got back up to 13th, but got clipped on the last lap and bent my front suspension, and finished 20th.” An eventful race to be sure.

The next day, Sunday morning, saw Adrien 13th on the grid, after not running as well at the end of qualifying as he needed to, to keep up with the others who had improved their times. With an all-new set-up on the car, he just battled to stay where he was, mid-field, and to finish the race. “It was a tough race for me, in the sense that I was running alone on the track and there wasn’t much I could do, and needed to finish the race.” Still, he ended up in 10th place, and scored a point to salvage something from the weekend.

Now, it is on to the last event of the North American season, at daunting Mosport International Raceway near Toronto on Labour Day weekend. Adrien has never driven on the very fast permanent road course, but he is up for the challenge. “I’m excited about driving there, as I’ve heard it is very challenging and rewarding. I think if I drive smart, it will be even more rewarding,” he says. “I’m looking forward to it,” and the goal will be to score enough points to make it into the Top Ten in the final season standings.


August 3, 2006 - Herberts Finds Positives Despite Difficult Weekend; Looks Forward to Denver

Coquitlam, B.C. – Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. headed into the most recent event of the Formula BMW season at San Jose, California last weekend optimistic he would do well on the street course, but good results proved tough to achieve.

With so many cars on such a short, tight track, incidents are almost expected, and Herberts had his share. In qualifying for the first of two races, Adrien tapped the wall and he had to park the car for the rest of the session. After having run in the top seven to start the session, not being able to improve his time as is usual at the end of a session saw him drop to 14th in the final analysis. The race was a short one, as the hairpin turn one took its toll, major contact ending his race right then and there.

In qualifying for the second race, Adrien was again quick right off the bat, but then he had no luck dealing with all the traffic and had some issues with the braking on his car, and he ended up a disappointed 24th on the grid. As seen before, though, that would give him the chance to salvage the weekend by passing numerous slower cars, and he ended up 12th for a good result.

Adrien remains positive about the weekend, in that he knows that he and his team have the ability to run up front in qualifying, with a little more good fortune. Heading into the next event in Denver in two weeks, he is one of only several drivers in the Formula BMW field to have driven there last year, so he is looking forward to having an early advantage in qualifying and running some quick laps so as to start the races further up the grid.

“I like the track in Denver and know it well,” Adrien says of the street circuit where he ran as high as second last year, “and we’ll be going full steam there to finish the qualifying sessions near the front, where we know we can be.”


July 25, 2006 - Herberts Knows The Way to San Jose
Coquitlam, B.C. - Formula BMW racer Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. is looking to put a difficult weekend of racing behind him and head into the next event in San Jose, California to begin a new trend of strong finishes.

His last two races at Indianapolis four weeks ago were enough to tax even the most positive-thinking driver. Car damage not of his doing ruined both of his races there, but all he can do is put it all behind him. “There was nothing I could do about it. I can’t help it if a teammate runs over me,” he says now, referring to the incident in the second race at Indy that saw him lose his car’s rear wing. Despite this, Adrien managed to finish the race without further incident.

But after spending last weekend in Edmonton at the Champ Car and Atlantic races, meeting several of the team owners for whom he’d like to drive next year in the Atlantic series, Herberts heads to San Jose this weekend looking to show them how well he can do in the concrete canyons of that temporary street course.

“I’m very excited about my chances there, as I’m comfortable running so close to walls from all my oval racing. So, I expect good results there. We want podiums and wins this weekend and at the next race in Denver” – where he will again race in front of the team owners who can help make his dreams come true next year.

In fact, with a top-five finish in the final season points being a best-case scenario, and a finish in the top ten being a reasonable goal, San Jose takes on a greater importance. “I want to do well in front of the big teams there,” Adrien says. In the final analysis, good results there might be as important to his racing future as winning the overall title would be.

“Hopefully, the team owners will watch and we’ll do well. Good results here will go a long way to make up for the bad luck I’ve encountered over the past two events.” As at every event, there will be two races run at San Jose, one on Saturday and one Sunday. Complete results will be posted on the Formula BMW website.


June 29, 2006 - Herberts Adds Points Despite Difficult Weekend; Looks Forward to Montreal
Coquitlam, B.C. - The most important two-week stretch of the Formula BMW season began in Montreal on June 23-25 on the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, and Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. headed into it knowing he would need strong results there, and looking forward to driving on the same track as the Formula One heroes.

Events beyond his control, though, conspired to hinder his performance, and he had to be content with knowing that the final results didn't accurately reflect on how well he had driven.

With the constrained schedule of this weekend, qualifying for both races was combined into one session, a driver's best two laps determining grid positions. Adrien's car unfortunately had a problem with its brakes at the outset, and he was unable to run more than a handful of laps, the best two of which slotted him into 18th and 22nd on the two grids.

The start of the first race went very well, with Adrien gaining five positions on the first lap. But at the hairpin, he was hit from behind. "As soon as I got hit, I had no steering and went straight into the wall," he recalls - fortunately at low speed at the exit of the hairpin, which did relatively little damage to the car. However, he suffered a costly retirement, in terms of lost opportunity.

Come Sunday's race, Adrien had really had very little time in the car and therefore wasn't sure how well it would run. But in his usual fashion, he began picking off cars ahead of him, getting as far up as about 10th place. "The racing was rough, though, and on the last lap, I was spun out at the hairpin," he recounts. "As I tried to get the car going again, I touched the rear of a car that was trying to sneak by me. That bent the front suspension and the drive to the finish was difficult, but I only lost two positions and under the circumstances, a 12th place finish was okay." But he admits that it was a tough weekend for him and the team.

So, up next this weekend are two races at Indianapolis on the U.S. Grand Prix Formula One program, and Adrien went straight to Indy after Montreal. "I'm working on the car, looking at all the data, and relaxing a bit to be ready for the weekend," he says. "I really like the track at Indy; it is a little more technical than the Montreal track is. I should be a lot quicker there than I was last year, just from the experience we all have there."

Adrien will definitely be looking to get back to the form that saw him open the season with such good results, and to put behind him the car problems that have hindered his performance the past couple of events.


June 1, 2006 - Herberts Adds Points Despite Difficult Weekend; Looks Forward to Montreal
Coquitlam, B.C. - Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. headed into the second event of the Formula BMW season at Lime Rock, Connecticut last weekend looking to build on the momentum he started in the first event, but good results proved tough to achieve.

Like many racing series this year, rain has affected Formula BMW, and it was so heavy for Race #1 qualifying that the session was cancelled and the cars would be gridded according to season points. That was a good thing for Herberts, as he would sit fifth on the grid and be in the thick of the battle up front.

Except that as we went to move onto pit lane to run the formation lap, the car had no power. A quick look at the engine showed a basic preparation issue that was resolved, but Herberts would have to start from pit lane, in last place and well behind the rest of the cars. His 18th place finish out of 26 starters was a reasonable result in the circumstances.

Qualifying for Race #2 was run, but was full of stoppages to clear incidents. Consequently, most drivers only got a few good laps to run a fast time, and Herberts didn't get up to speed as quickly as he needed to. He ended up 16th on the grid, but fought his way up to 8th place at the finish, a similar scenario to some of his races last year, one he doesn't want to make a habit of.

"It was a tough weekend for me, and nothing much went my way," he said after. "But I'm excited because the next four tracks have lots of technical, tight corners where I do well."

"I'm 10th in points, but not too far behind the leaders, so I'm confident I can make up the deficit." His next race is at Montreal on Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a track Herberts enjoys, during the Formula One weekend June 23-25.

In the meantime, the 16-year-old will be attempting to earn his first regular driver's license, so that he can soon drive to the track and race his Formula BMW car at 250 km/h.


May 27-29, 2006 - Herberts' fortunes a mixed bag
Lime Rock Park, CT – The US Memorial Day Weekend didn't hold many positives for the young Canadian on the US Memorial Weekend. Adrien placed fifth in Saturday morning's qualifying round, which had Herberts expectations set very high. However a car malfunction had Herberts miss the grid up, and he was forced to start from Pitt Lane in 26th place.

Once his team figured out the car starting problem, it was off to the races for the Coquitlam teen. Adrien moved up 7 places and finished 19th but it was disappointing for everyone to have the mechanical problem.

Sunday's qualifying race was extremely short due to accidents and a yellow flag and Herberts never got started before they called the qualifying off. Adrien was sitting at 19th (after two laps) and that was what they went with for the placement for the race on Monday.

Monday's race saw Adrien get a quick start and he jumped immediately to 12th place and went from there. He eventually moved up three more places and finished at 9th place and earned race points for his finish.


May 24, 2006 - Herberts Scores First Podium at Mid-Ohio
Coquitlam, B.C. – Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. had high hopes entering his second season of racing in the Formula BMW USA series, what with being a member of the team to beat, Gelles Racing, and having a year of experience in the series under his belt.

One of his goals was to finally climb up onto the podium, and after coming close last year, he accomplished that feat at the first event of the season at Mid-Ohio, finishing a stellar third in the second race of the weekend.

The venerable permanent road course had been newly paved, and that caused some challenges in setting up the car early in the weekend, and the result was that in qualifying for the two races, Herberts ended up 9th and 15th respectively.

In the first race Saturday afternoon, it was a situation of being comfortably ahead of a brawling pack behind him, while not being close enough to the group ahead, and consequently, his race to an eventual 7th place was relatively lonely. Of note was that he was the top-finishing Gelles Racing car, all the other drivers having had similar problems with car set-up.

“I tried to drive a calm race and not get caught up in some of the stuff happening out there. I got held up a little and lost touch with the group I wanted to be with. But finishing 7th was a good start.”

Sunday morning’s Race No. 2 was even more satisfying. Buried deep in the field on the wet grid, Herberts picked the right line through Turn 1 to avoid the heavy traffic, and managed to pass an incredible ten cars before Turn 2! Obviously, this changed the complexion of the race for him, and his challenge, like that of all the others, would be to preserve the rain tires he had on the car, on a rapidly drying track.

“I really have no idea what happened in Turn 1, but there I was in fifth place,” he laughed. “After that, one of the guys I was chasing went straight off into the wall, and the other was black-flagged, and suddenly I was in third. I had my two teammates behind me, and I was nervous, and I just thought, there was no way I was going to spin on the last lap because of the tires. So I continued to drive the car the way I had and hung on until the end.”

So, Adrien Herberts had finally achieved another racing goal, finishing on the podium. There, he shared a Canadian flag with winner and fellow Canuck Daniel Morad of Toronto, and now that he has experienced that feeling, one can expect him to be up there again before too long.

His next chance comes quickly, with two races this weekend at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut. He sits fourth in Formula BMW points, and continued high finishes will put him in a good position as the season unfolds.


May 22, 2006 - First podium for Zartarian and Herberts
Mid-Ohio, May 22nd, 2006 - Experience prevailed in the second round of the Formula BMW USA championship when Gelles Racing three returning drivers finished in second, third and fourth place with a Gelles rookie rounding out the Top 5, the best achievement ever by a BMW team. John Zartarian, Adrien Herberts, Ryan Campbell and Sebastian Saavedra took the checkered flag one after the other and completed with success at the first BMW USA Race weekend of the season. Maxime Pelletier completed the team effort in 11th. After two rounds, Zartarian sits second and Adrien Herberts third in the overall points standings while Saavedra is second in the rookie standings.

“We were celebrating yesterday, cheered team principal Bob Gelles. We knew we needed to improve after the results of the Saturday race but to get four places out of the Top 5 is the best accomplishment ever by a Formula BMW team in history; a phenomenal feat and reinforces we are the team to beat this year. John, Adrien, Ryan, Sebastian and Maxime were very quick after starting from a distance where we have not been accustom. With better places on the grid, I have no doubt one of them would have won the race. There is a camaraderie that exists amongst our Six Drivers that can not be described; there is true strength in numbers”. This will provide a boost as we roll into Lime Rock next week.

Starting from 3rd row, the tall Californian took only five laps to jump into second place with a 4.5 second space from the eventual winner. Lap after lap he closed the gap and passed the finish line a mere1.2 second difference for his first podium in the series. ‘‘My car was spot-on for the conditions, as I posted the fastest lap of the race claimed Zartarian. I concentrated on closing in for a pass for the lead but we had only 12 laps and I would have needed 2 or 3 more to get by safely. I’ll be in the hunt for the title from now on because I know I can take a good car to the track and I have the will to win.’’

To a point, Herberts has to be the man of the day: starting from 15th place, he stormed to his first ever podium. ‘‘I realized how strong my car was and suddenly I felt I was on a mission and could do anything with my machine, said the Vancouver, Canada resident. I wished I could have started closer but I’m still very happy with third and my first podium in Formula BMW USA; many more to come!’’

Equally satisfied with a fourth overall was Lethbridge, Canada Campbell. ‘‘Starting from 13th, I wanted to score some points, he said, but to race up to 4th was exciting. I tried to stay in Adrien’s slipstream and Sebastian was right on my rear wing, which was the best way to use our speed and move up to the front. I can’t wait till Lime Rock next week.’’

Completing Top 5 was 15-year old Colombian Saavedra. ‘‘We started on rain tires and it took a few laps to get used to the grip, he said. I wanted to make sure I kept my position but there were Adrien and Ryan in the hunt with me and they were a little quicker. I’m satisfied with a fifth overall and come away second in the rookie standings only 2-points from leading. I plan to leave Lime Rock with the lead.’’

axime Pelletier started from 18th place and quickly moved up in 12th place within a few laps. ‘‘I got into a real fight with two other cars and we passed one another many times. That kept me from moving in the field and I ended up in 11th. Mid-Ohio was a tremendous learning curve and I will benefit from the experience for the rest of the season.’’

Finally, Joel Jackson suffered significant damage in the Saturday race while attempting to avoid another competitor that lost control of his car, contact could not be avoided. The crew worked all night (17-hours straight) on the #22 car and it was ready shortly after the start of the race but the team elected not to send him on the track without proper routine checks.’’


May 21, 2006 - Herberts comes from 15th spot to take 3rd spot at Ohio
Lexington, OH - May 21, 2006 – Adrien Herberts might have had the drive of his young career so far, Sunday at Mid Ohio Raceway in Lexington, Ohio. Starting 15th on the grid and running on a cold, wet track didn't auger well for passing or moving up many places during the race.

However, due to a collision involving the front runners, Herberts was able to step his way through the mayhem, and then using steady, hard driving he moved up 10 places and then eventually jumped into third place and on to the winners area. Herberts races with Gelles Racing in the Forumula BMW series.

Adrien got a great start and was able to launch himself into the thick of things as they entered turn four. His alertness and driving skills allowed him to pick himself through traffic and combined with a couple of front runners knocking themselves out of the race, Herberts jumped ten spots early on. Then it was a matter of using his skills to advance as far as he could, which meant third place today.

Combined with Adrien's seventh place finish Saturday, it was a great weekend for the Coquitlam racer.


May 20, 2006 - Round 1 and 2 at Mid Ohio
Lexington, OH - May 20, 2006 – Round One and Two at the Mid Ohio Raceway is taking place the May 20 - 21 weekend at the classic track in Lexonton, Ohio.

Friday's qualifying saw a tight crowd of the top ten racers within 8/10ths of a second of each other. Adrien Herberts was happy to be in that group and qualified in ninth position and will take that poll in the race Saturday afternoon.

The qualifying for the next round wasn't as successful for Herberts, as driving on a cold, damp track he qualified fourtheenth in the field. A look at the data afterwards had the young Coquitlam resident enthused as they identified some of the areas where he can do much better in the upcoming race tomorrow.

The weather is cold and windy with the track running cold. Adrien looks forward to his race on Saturday afternoon. Results will be posted here.

APRIL 4, 2006 - Herberts Off to a Good Start in Testing
Coquitlam, BC - April 4, 2006 – Anyone who thinks that the off-season is a quiet one for race drivers needs to have followed Adrien Herberts around this past winter and spring.

Other than continuing his studies and keeping physically fit, the Coquitlam, B.C. racer has been testing for his new team in the Formula BMW series, in preparation for the first races next month.

Herberts has signed on with the top-rank Gelles Racing team from Virginia, and he and his five young teammates figure to be the team to beat this year. “I’m very happy with this team,” he says. “I have been working with a very experienced engineer, Jurgen Schmidt, and he and my coach, Danny Kok, are very much the same, in that they are looking for perfection in car set-up and preparation.”

The Gelles team held a private test session last month in Virginia, but the first official series test was held last week at the demanding Road Atlanta circuit in Georgia, and Herberts was right on the pace. “We were immediately quicker than I had ever run there before, and we were in the top five until right at the end, when most of the others put on new tires and we elected not to. I still have a few things to improve on, but we know what they are. The only drivers quicker than me were my teammates, so that is encouraging.”

“I’m really excited about how it is all going. I’m starting to get used to having all these teammates and being part of a big group, and I think it will be a good situation as the season progresses.”

Herberts’ next time in the car will be next week at Virginia again for another official test session, followed by yet another in North Carolina. After that, it is time to go racing, with the first double-header event at the famed Mid-Ohio track, May 19-21.


FEBRUARY 22, 2006 - Herberts announces signing with Powerhouse BMW Team Gelles Racing of Virginia
Front Royal, VA - February 22, 2006 – This is a great opportunity to be part of a five driver team, where we can utilize each others data to build a formidable team on track." "I have to thank Bob Gelles for believing in me and working so hard to give me the opportunity to compete in the series again this season." Adrien is off to Virginia for two days of intensive testing. " I anticipate we will log as many sessions per day as we can to experiment with chassis setups and see what works for each driver."

With the results I expect of myself this season, the opportunity now exists to stay with Gelles Racing and become part of their Formula Atlantic program. Danny Kok has already spent considerable time getting to know the engineering staff so that the team can take full advantage of Adriens' speed and driving ability.

NOVEMBER 30, 2005 - Herberts Has Testing Opportunities in the Off-Season
Coquitlam, BC - November 28, 2005 – Following a great debut season in the Formula BMW Championship, Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam was looking forward to showing his stuff on the world stage at the Formula BMW World Finals in Bahrain in December.

However, in the expensive world of motorsport, plans can change in a hurry, and it is with regret that Adrien and his team have to announce that he will not be able to make the trip to the Middle East to race after all.

However, as often happens in motorsport and life, one door closing leads to another one opening, and Adrien has already lined up a couple of test sessions with an eye to getting back in a race car next season.

First on the list is a test in a Champ Car Atlantic Series car with veteran team Mi-Jack Conquest Racing, this Friday in Buttonwillow, California. The Atlantic car is a major step up in performance from the Formula BMW car Adrien raced this past season, and he is excited about the opportunity.

“Getting to test an Atlantic car is a big step towards my goal of someday racing a Champ Car,” he says. “It’s exciting to be getting the chance to drive one of these, and I hope it might lead to racing one next year. I know the track at Buttonwillow, so it’ll just be a matter of getting used to the car and showing what I can do.”

Adrien is also looking to put his oval racing experience to some use, as there is a good chance he will test a NASCAR Northwest Tour stock car in the New Year. “It’s a possible direction to go. There is more sponsorship available in NASCAR, so we are looking at that, too.”

Also on the list of possibilities is the Honda/Michelin Championship, which currently runs in Eastern Canada at all the major venues, and might be coming West in 2006 with its nearly-stock Honda Civics and many young drivers with whom to compete. “It would be a good series for me, and much less expensive than Formula BMW or the others we are looking at. It is a good option on that basis.”

Having said that, a second season in Formula BMW is a possibility, depending on sponsorship arrangements. “My goal is to do Atlantic and take a step up the racing ladder, though,” Adrien concludes.

In the meantime, the 16 year-old is working hard at his Grade 11 studies, in his final major academic year. “School has been good but difficult. I am looking forward to getting through it, as Grade 12 next year will be less grueling, with fewer courses.”

Finally, Adrien wants to take this chance to recognize all the people who helped make this season a reality. "I would like to thank all those who supported me in my achievements. Special thanks go to Patterson Dental Supply, Driving Unlimited, Hal Finan, Thread Dezynes Inc. and of course, my family; without their support, I would not have been able to compete in such a competitive, high-profile series.”


NOVEMBER 25, 2005 - Herberts to Miss Bahrain BMW Finale
Coquitlam, BC - Following a great debut season in the Formula BMW Championship, Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam was looking forward to showing his stuff on the world stage at the Formula BMW World Finals in Bahrain in December.

However, in the expensive world of motorsport, plans can change in a hurry, and it is with regret that Adrien and his team have to announce that he will not be able to make the trip to the Middle East to race after all.

A combination of very difficult logistics in getting his car and equipment to the other side of the world, along with the ever-present financial considerations, means that Adrien will have to stay close to home and plan his program for next season.

Already, he has lined up some testing opportunities over the winter, and a decision will be made soon as to the direction he will take in 2006.


OCTOBER 6, 2005 - Herberts Concludes Season in Atlanta
Coquitlam, BC - Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. concluded the Formula BMW North America season with a solid run in two races at Road Atlanta in Georgia last Thursday and Friday.

While the desired podium finish didn't happen, Adrien ran strongly, kept the car in one piece and gained more experience he can put to use the next time he races, which he hopes will be at the Formula BMW World Finals in Bahrain in December.

In qualifying for Thursday's first race, Adrien ended up 11th, which didn't represent how quick he was at various points of the tricky natural-terrain road course. He had made it up to 8th place in the race and was racing hard for more when he spun his car in Turn 5, dropping back and finishing 14th at the end.

For Friday's race, he started 13th and moved up a few positions at the start, but his progress was stopped there. "I got behind a big pack fighting for 8th place and made a few moves, but the gaps ahead of me were too tight." He had to settle for 13th place in the end.

"It was frustrating, because I couldn't seem to climb up to where I wanted to be," he said afterwards. "It is a hard track to pass on. It would have been nice if we had run as well as we did at Denver (in 2nd place), but I am treating it as a learning experience as we get ready to run in Bahrain. We have good data, and we know where we have to improve."

The campaign to raise the funds necessary to travel to the Middle East continues, and Adrien and his Atlantic Racing Team are confident that they will be there to race in mid-December.


SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 - Herberts Wants to Conclude Season with Victory at Atlanta Formula BMW Race
Coquitlam, BC - The goalposts are always being moved in motorsport, and now that Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam has achieved most of what he set out to at the last event in Denver, he is definitely looking to leave the last scheduled Formula BMW event of the season at Atlanta this Thursday and Friday with a victory.

In Denver, he finally put together both a good qualifying run and running with the leaders in the race, slotting in 7th quickest on the grid and building on that by rocketing up the field to run in second place before a slight miscalculation caused a spin and retirement from the race.

So obviously, beyond wanting to finish both races on the undulating road course at Road Atlanta, Adrien is pumped up to contend for the victory, now that he has shown he can run up front.

This was the first track that the series tested on in early spring, so Adrien is confident he will be on the pace quickly. “Within a few laps, we should be back where we were, and probably even quicker. Our goal can’t be anything less than winning, after we did so well at Denver. I plan to be right there at the end. For sure, I want that first podium finish, at least.”

In the seven long weeks since the last race, 16 year-old Adrien has been busy with physical and mental training, and of course, his Grade 11 school year has started, too. “My teachers know what I am doing, and they give me some work to do in advance and tailor my assignments so I’m not falling behind. But I’ll wait until I’m done my racing before I worry too much about my Spanish course!”

Efforts continue to put together the budget to go to the Formula BMW World Finals in Bahrain in December. “At this point, we are planning as though we are going. So this weekend’s race is important to keep up the momentum and be ready. I want to show people I have what it takes this weekend.”


SEPTEMBER 21, 2005 - Formula BMW World’s Finals in Bahrain
Coquitlam, BC - With less than ninety days and counting down, Adrien Herberts is thrilled at the possibility of traveling to the Formula BMW World’s Finals in Bahrain. With his team firmly alongside of him; Atlantic Racing Team (from Halifax, Nova Scotia), Adrien and his coach plan to make this the race of a lifetime.”

With a season highlighting improved speed and skill along with a major showing in Denver, I know I can compete at the front in the World Final.”

Many countries are represented in this world class racing venue and Adrien plans to bring results home to his many Canadian fans and family who have supported him throughout his racing years.

With prize monies of 60,000.00 as well as an opportunity to become the youngest driver to ever test in Formula 1, this World Final event is integral to Adrien’s driving career.

Contributions and sponsorship towards Adrien’s dream on competing in this global event are actively being sought. We currently require $12,000.00 to cover shipping costs and tires for Adrien’s car. Our current sponsors; Auto Trader, Patterson Dental, Driving Unlimited, Thread Dezynes, and Aeroplan have been instrumental in helping us prepare for this World Championship event.

We thank them for their generous support and belief in Adrien’s talent as a young Canadian race car driver. For more information on how you can help this local youth represent Canada in this event, please call us at 604-880-9864.

For more information on the World Final: www.FormulaBMWUSA.com see World Final in Bahrain


AUGUST 17, 2005 - Herberts Turns Heads in Denver
Coquitlam, BC - Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. had his most exciting and fulfilling weekend of racing yet in Formula BMW at the Grand Prix of Denver, August 12-14, as he accomplished his goal of both qualifying and racing at the front of the pack.

In qualifying for Saturday's first race, Adrien ended up 14th, which didn't represent how quick he was at various points of the track. Had his best segment times been added up, he would have been higher in the very tightly-packed order. In any case, he had gained eight positions in the race and was racing hard for 5th place when he drove too wide in Turn 9 and slid up into the tire wall, damaging his car's right-front suspension and ending his day, classified 18th.

Qualifying for Sunday's race was much better, as Adrien showed his smoothness in the rain, and ability to set-up his car, to end up 7th on the grid, tying his best qualifying result of the season.

In the race Sunday, Adrien put it all together in the first 11 of 19 laps, rocketing up from 7th to 2nd place with some aggressive overtaking maneuvers and outright speed. Catching the leader, who was far ahead, was unlikely, and he had his mirrors full of the drivers behind him, a pressure situation he had not encountered before. "I drive better when I have someone to chase," he recounted later. "I started to make little mistakes."

One of them caught up with him in a big way, as he grazed the concrete wall on the Denver street course and spun, to be hit by the two cars immediately behind him. It looked scary at the time, but Adrien and the others walked away with only damage to the cars. The podium result he was aiming for would have to wait for another day.

Still, there were many positives that Adrien and the Atlantic Racing Team took away from Denver, the only race run this season on the same program as the Champ Car World Series, with all those team owners watching closely. "It was frustrating, but not disappointing," he said stoically. "We were fast in all conditions, including the rain. We showed a lot of strength, and the other guys knew we were there. Now we want to finish a race with a trophy."

He'll have his next chance to do that in the final event of the Formula BMW North American season at Road Atlanta on September 30 and October 1. A podium finish there would be the icing on the cake of a great first season.


AUGUST 10, 2005 - Herberts Looks for Success at Denver Formula BMW Race
Coquitlam, BC - Following the last Formula BMW event in Alabama, in which he solved the riddle of qualifying well, but ultimately didn't achieve the desired finishing results, Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam is ready to put it all together this weekend in Denver.

This next race represents a couple of firsts for Adrien and all the Formula BMW racers, in that it is the only temporary street course this season, and it is the only event on the same weekend as the Champ Car World Series.

Adrien feels that he might have an advantage dealing with all the concrete walls he will face all weekend. "In a way, I'm used to walls from my Quarter Midget oval experience, so I am hoping I have a little advantage over some of the other guys who might be a little timid surrounded by concrete."

Adrien has also made some good contacts with influential people in the Champ Car series, so he is looking forward to being able to race in front of them. "It will be an important weekend off the track, but we will stick with our game plan, with the main focus being how we do on the track."

With Adrien now having shown that he can qualify near the front, and race with the fastest drivers at the front of the pack, his mindset has to be one of patience and perseverance, so as to avoid driving errors. "I don't have as much experience as some of the guys we want to race with, so I have to be patient and realize that the faster I go, the less I can do to improve my performance relative to the others. I can't push too hard and take unnecessary risks."

With every event so far this season, Adrien has shown progress, and the next step is to put together both a Top 5 qualifying run, and a finish in the Top 5. The Denver event, in front of a big crowd and Champ Car's team owners, would be a good place to do that.


AUGUST 3, 2005 - Mixed Results for Herberts in Formula BMW in Alabama
Coquitlam, BC - It was a weekend of mixed results for Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. in Formula BMW at Barber Motorsport Park in Alabama on the weekend, as he accomplished the goal of qualifying near the front for Sunday's race, but encountered misfortune during the two races.

Qualifying for Saturday's race was rained out, and the grid would be determined by the season points standings, which was too bad after all the work Adrien and his team had put in over the preceding several weeks, to improve their qualifying performance. He would start 13th as a consequence. "We struggled a bit with the build-up of rubber on the hot, greasy track," Adrien recalls, "and I spun into the gravel and got stuck there." That ended his race early, and he was credited with 18th place.

Qualifying for Sunday's race was much better, as Adrien finally was able to show that he can run fast "out of the box" and set a good time right away. He ended up 7th on the grid, by far his best qualifying result of the season.

"I had a good start and was running as high as 5th, with what was, at the time, the third best lap time, and in my attempt to catch the 4th-place driver, I ran a little wide onto the grass," he recounts. This driving error set him way back in the field, and he ended up a disappointed 15th.

Disappointed, perhaps, but still encouraged by the progress he and his Atlantic Racing team had made in performance. "We've shown now that we can qualify well, and stay up front and race with the fast guys. I was disappointed with what happened in Sunday's race, but I was happy with 13 of the 14 laps in it," Adrien said, thinking positively.

This last race weekend was another confidence-builder despite the misfortune encountered, and now Adrien looks forward to the next race in Denver, Colorado the weekend of August 12-14, on the same program as the Champ Car World Series for the first and only time this season. "All signs point to good finishes coming up," he says.


JULY 28, 2005 - Herberts Ready For Next Formula BMW Race
Coquitlam, BC - It has been a long wait, six weeks to be exact, since Adrien Herberts last raced his Formula BMW car at Indianapolis, but he has been far from idle over that time, as he has been working hard testing the car and developing a mindset that should see him get the better qualifying results he needs.

The recent test session at Putnam Park in Indiana went well, with Adrien and the team building on the successful race at Indy. "We worked on things that we needed to address, and ran times as quick as anyone there."

With not running a quick qualifying lap in the previous races having been the main difficulty leading to mid-pack finishes, Adrien and the team worked on short "sprint" sessions so that he can be fast right away.

Upon arriving at the latest Formula BMW race venue, Barber Motorsport Park in Alabama, Adrien and all the other series drivers were put through a battery of fitness tests by the Series, all part of the development program they are able to benefit from. He tied for the best result in endurance running, so he should be able to deal with the expected high heat and humidity this weekend.

He has driven on the Barber track, in the first test session of the year, but of course, much has changed for the better for he and his Atlantic Racing team since then, with the car being well-developed and Adrien having much more experience.

"My goal is to qualify and race in the Top 5 this weekend," Adrien says. "This could be our best weekend yet, and I would like to come home with two podiums (Top-3 finishes)."


JUNE 21, 2005 - Herberts 6th in Formula BMW at Indy
Coquitlam, B.C. – It was another weekend of progress and improvement for Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. in Formula BMW at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the weekend, as he scored his best finish of the season, 6th place, in the second race on Sunday.

The weekend began with some more problems in running a quick qualifying lap, as Adrien spun his car just when he was running his best lap. “I had the same problem again in qualifying, as I was trying to push too hard into the corner entry,” he said after. That would put him in 19th and 17th starting positions for the two races, and he would have to show what he could do, once again, from near the back of the field.

He proceeded to do that, as in the first race, he skillfully avoided a major crash on the first lap and made it up to 8th place, only to spin once again. That put him way back into 18th, and he worked his way up to 15th at the finish.

With some analysis of what caused the spins, and a little adjustment in driving technique, Adrien was ready for the Sunday race, and how. After gaining four positions on just the first lap, he proceeded to pass another five cars to end up 7th at the checkered flag, running within 0.2 second of the leader’s times. As a little bonus, a disqualification put him up to 6th in the final results, his best finish yet in the series.

“On Sunday, the light bulb came on and it all just clicked for me. I figured out what I needed to do to make the car fast. It was our best result, and now we know we can be a podium (top three) car,” he says.

“If I can just qualify in the top ten, we can be in the top five in the race.” To that end, Adrien is working with his Atlantic Racing Team and with coach Danny Kok to be ready for the next race in several weeks, in Alabama at the end of July.

It’ll be a long wait, but Adrien now has the confidence that comes with success. No one in the Formula BMW series has passed as many cars as he has, but now he looks to run up front from the start of the next race!


JUNE 14, 2005 - HERBERTS BUILDS ON MONTREAL RESULTS HEADING TO INDY
Coquitlam, B.C. - Racing on the same track as your Formula One heroes, and in front of a huge crowd, is not something that every 15-year old racing driver gets to do, but Adrien Herberts of Coquitlam, B.C. did just that last weekend in Montreal - and will do it again this weekend in Indianapolis.

Adrien competes in the Formula BMW series, the top development series for young drivers in North America, and his two races on le Circuit Gilles Villeneuve were another demonstration of his determination and mettle in the face of some adversity.

The qualifying session at Montreal on Friday was so abbreviated by incidents that Adrien was not able to run nearly as quick a lap as some of the other drivers, and he therefore found himself at the back of the grid to start each of the races.

"We just got hit by some bad luck," he said later. "We knew we were capable of running faster, but we never got a good lap in."

But then, that just gave him the opportunity to pass lots of cars, which he proceeded to do in both races, ending up 10th and 11th on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The second result was especially impressive, as his car would not fire up on pre-grid, and he had to start the race from pit lane, putting him way behind the pack on the first lap. With determination and a little luck from attrition, he wheeled the Patterson Dental car up to 10th spot again and finally settled for 11th as the chequered flag dropped.

So the plan for the next event, this weekend at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway and again on the Formula One program, is to try to run a fast lap very early in qualifying before any potential incidents happen, and to start further up the grid so he can stay in touch with the leaders. "We now know we are capable of running with the top-five cars, so we just have to be up there in qualifying so I don't have to pass the bottom half of the field first. The team did a great job of preparing the car this weekend."

Off the track, Herberts soaked up the atmosphere of Montreal, which is electric when the Formula One circus comes to town. "It was an amazing weekend with unbelievable atmosphere, and I got to chat with the two BMW-Williams F1 drivers, Nick Heidfeld and Mark Webber." Adrien reports that they all talked about tires and the track, and that they were just two regular guys.

So now, it is on to Indy this weekend for Adrien and the Atlantic Racing Team, and another chance for him to show what he can do - hopefully a little closer to the front of the field this time. "I feel like we are making real progress, and Indy will be exciting,"

As in Montreal, there are two Formula BMW races on the weekend schedule, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.


JUNE 12, 2005 - ADRIEN'S FINISHES IN ELEVENTH
Another hot and humid day had Adrien again starting from the back (due to the shortened qualifying run on Friday). Unfortunately, due to mechanical problems, the car wouldn't start and Adrien had to start form the pitt.

Nevertheless, Adrien was undaunted and began the process of moving up the field, looking to finish as high as he could. He made up four spots in the first lap and slowly edged his way up the field.

At one time Adrien got up as far as tenth spot but eventually finished at eleventh. The car was running at 100% and if not for the poor starting position the results would have been even more positive

Next week Adrien travels to Indianapolis for Friday qualifying and weekend racing. After that there are a couple of weeks off.

While Adrien is not unhappy with the results he would have liked to pick up some racing points on Sunday.

JUNE 11, 2005 - HERBERTS PICKS UP POINT
Under very hot and humid conditions Adrien Herberts picked up one point in the race on Saturday. Starting from the back of the pack (due to the short qualifying race on Friday), and with the car responding very well, Adrien worked his way through traffic.

With 21 cars ahead of him, young Herberts showed his world class skill, passing eleven cars to finish in tenth spot at the circuit de Gilles Villeneuve.

The young Coquitlam driver drove a very clean race and by finishing in tenth place it gives Adrien one point in the race series.

Sunday, Herberts will again start at the back of the pack and looks forward to doing as well Sunday as he did Saturday.

JUNE 10, 2005 - QUALIFYING CUT SHORT
With Adrien Herberts getting comfortable with his car, the automobile responding as it should, qualifying was cut short.

Another vehicle was involved in an accident, which brought about a long delay. Consequently officials decided to stop the qualifying race as it stood.

Herberts was very happy with his car and the way it was handling on the track but unfortunately because of the short qualifying Adrien will start at the back of the pack for both the Saturday and Sunday races.

He and the rest of the team are excited and looking forward to compete in the weekend races.

JUNE 6, 2005 - HERBERTS READY FOR MONTREAL
Following an encouraging result at the last race that saw him score his first points of the season, Coquitlam, B.C. driver Adrien Herberts and his Atlantic Racing Team take new found confidence in their car set-up into perhaps the most important race of the Formula BMW season for this all-Canadian effort, and the only appearance in this country for the series, this weekend at Montreal, running on the undercard of the Formula One Grand Prix of Canada race.

To say Herberts is excited about racing on the same track as all the biggest stars of the sport would be an understatement. "The Formula 1 environment is amazing, and the city has such an electric atmosphere. It'll be unreal to drive on the same track as the big guys do."

Having never seen Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Herberts was busy on Thursday trying to learn the track from the seat of the team's golf cart. Being a very fast track with heavy braking and high curbing, it represents some unique challenges. "The track should be good for my style of driving. My coach Danny Kok and I will try to learn the track and optimize my driving for it so that I am ready to go in the first session Friday." The cars have relatively little time on track on the crowded weekend schedule.

Herberts' schedule for the weekend is a busy one, too, what with dinners with executives from BMW and with driving legend Hans Stuck on the agenda.

As always, there are two Formula BMW races on the weekend schedule, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, in front of all the important people in Canadian and international motorsport, which represents a great opportunity for 15 year-old Herberts to show what he can do.

Formula BMW is the top development series for young racing drivers in North America, and is fully supported by BMW.

MAR 22, 2005 - THE FIRST OFFICIAL BMW TEST
Under cool skies and a few sprinkles of rain THE FIRST OFFICIAL BMW test got under way in Road Atlanta. All teams were represented there and a car count of 21! Adrien took to the track in his brand new Formula BMW ( BMW colors white/blue) along with the new helmet and Hans device. The helmet design was specific to ensure the sponsors he would be seen! The fluorescent yellow and red allow you to pick him out a mile away.

With two full sessions of testing completed by noon, a clear picture of the field began to emerge with Adrien running third out of the 21cars. The afternoon proved frustrating as a transmission problem sidelined the car. By the end of the day the team had found the problem and would rectify it for day two.

If sponsorship can be secured, Adrien will be eligible to compete in the BMW World Championship in Bahrain at the end of this season! The winner of this shootout will receive $50,000USD and an opportunity to test in the Williams F1 BMW! The top BMW drivers from each of the four international series will compete.


JAN 24, 2005 - HERBERTS TAKES TOP HONOURS IN SPAIN
Last week Adrien spent two intense days on track, where 18 internationally selected drivers pushed their Formula BMW cars to the limits in front of a panel of Formula BMW judges. The drivers are considered some of the top young drivers in the world, from Canada, the United States, and Australia. The drivers were all top finalists from a prior selection camp, in which they ran the same cars at the same Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. The stakes were high, as every move on and off the track was being observed. Formula BMW USA was preparing to hand out five $40,000 U.S scholarships.

The suspense grew as the drivers had to wait until a full week after the event to receive the news. At 9:15 in the morning, Adrien was awarded a scholarship from Formula BMW, which also results in Gelles Racing awarding an additional $40,000. "This is clearly a great moment. Not only does it help further us towards completing the 2005 budget, but it also shows that Adrien is competitive among some of the top young drivers he will be racing against," Michael Herberts says.


DEC 11, 2004 - HERBERTS RETURNING TO SPAIN IN JANUARY
The e-mail from Formula BMW came in late Friday afternoon; eighteen international drivers will be flying to Spain on January 10. Adrien Herberts is one of those drivers.

After competing in one of Formula BMW run-offs early September, Adrien waited until the second group of challengers drove this past week. Seven drivers from Adrien's group were selected to move on, eleven from the second group. These drivers will complete two days of on and off track exercises whilst vying for the five $40,000 scholarships. In addition, Gelles racing will provide a further $40,000 scholarship if Adrien finishes in the top five.

This is a crucial step in the budget for Herberts racing next year. With the help from a marketing agent in Toronto, recent commitments from local investors, and continued support from his sponsors Driving Unlimited, Patterson Dental, Thread Dezynes, and Anvil Auto glass, Adrien has almost collected enough funds to race the entire Formula BMW USA series next year. This, obviously is a crucial year for Adrien, as the top drivers from the prestigious Formula BMW USA series receive a lot of attention from the racing world. Last year's championship winner was awarded a free test with a champ car team! Herberts is hopeful that local business will seize the opportunity to sponsor his race car for next year. Specifically, he needs an accommodation and travel sponsor.

"I am extremely excited, as this will be the most important two days of my career yet. I am not really nervous, just looking forward to it!" says Adrien.

The group will make some noise on the 12th, and 13th of January on the circuit Ricardo Tormo of Valencia. "I can't wait until I drive on the track again-it is a great opportunity. Besides, it is only a week of school I am missing anyway!" joked Adrien.


Nov 29, 2004 - SEBRING A THRILLING DRIVE FOR HERBERTS
Adrien Herberts arrived to Sebring International Raceway early Friday morning. Along with three other drivers, Gelles' Racing was testing its three Fran-AM 2000 cars, as well as a Formula BMW. All of the drivers had, or were headed to Valencia in pursuit of the Formula BMW scholarship. Adrien was the only driver who had already gone to Valencia.

Herberts was in for a shock in the morning. To his surprise, his name was plastered on a Fran-AM 2000 car, a car faster then anything he had ever driven. Excited about the challenge, Adrien took to the legendary Sebring International Raceway in this new car, and put down quick laps all day. Throughout the day, Adrien managed to lay down the fastest laps of the drivers despite the large amount of traffic on the circuit. Over 50 cars were on track at a time, and being the fastest around the circuit, Adrien was passing almost 3-4 cars a lap! Averaging almost 104 m.p.h (167 k.p.h) around the circuit, with a top speed of 150 m.p.h (238 k.p.h), Adrien was extremely happy with the opportunity to drive the faster car. "It was awesome! Absolutely thrilling! I was very impressed by the professionalism, and kindness of the Gelles Racing team, and look forward to driving with them again," Herberts said.

Herberts is now preparing for the BMW scholarship runoffs in Valencia this winter. He is expected to receive an invitation within two weeks.


Nov 9, 2004 - ONE CYLINDER SHORT IN VEGAS
After two outstanding drives in his trips to Valencia, and Shannonville, Adrien and the CT Motorsports team were expecting great results in the finale of the 2004 FormulaTR season, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Arriving in the Herberts Racing Hats and Shirts generously donated by Thread Dezynes of Port Coquitlam, Adrien was prepared for the Friday test day.

The problems started from the get go unfortunately, as Adrien's engine was not producing the amount of power it should have been. During Saturday, and Sunday, the CT Motorsports team worked furiously to find the source of the problem, but session after frustrating session the number one car was just not going to do its part of a winning equation. This effectively ended Adrien's chances of racing during the weekend.

Already, however, Adrien has started preparation for next season, as he is scheduled to test with Gelles Racing in two weeks. This is a very exciting opportunity; one of many that Herberts is pursuing for next year. Much of Adrien's decision making is determined by whether he wins one of five $40,000 U.S scholarships to be announced in January by Formula BMW, after a run-off in Valencia. Gelles Racing has already promised an additional $40,000 to a scholarship winner who is selected to drive with them next year. The invitations to the scholarship final is expected to be announced on December 13.

Although the official 2004 race season is over, Adrien has a busier off-season than ever with upcoming testing as well as the scholarship competition.


Nov 2, 2004 - TEST GOES WELL WITH JENSEN MOTORSPORT
Adrien Herberts completed his first team test in the Formula BMW on Halloween in Ontario.

Adrien was driving at Shannonville race track, in the town of Bellville.

The weather was poor, as it was ten degrees Celsius and the wind was gusting strongly. Adrien managed to get three sessions in the morning. He learned the track quickly, and despite the amount of time he waited to get back in a car, he rapidly picked up were he left off.

By early afternoon, Adrien was turning consistent, and competitive times. It was difficult to make direct comparisons with previous test candidates due to the cold weather, and Adrien having to break in a new engine.

The second test car on the track showed at least one second was to be gained by switching to new tires. With this time and the other conditions, it is likely Adrien broke the previous test candidates' best times.

Now Adrien must focus his energy towards the Formula TR race in Las Vegas next week.


Sep 23, 2004 - HERBERTS CAPTURES THIRD IN SPAIN
The sun was shining brightly on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.

Twelve top kart and car drivers chosen by Formula BMW USA were ready to compete in the second elimination round for the five Scholarship finalist positions. Day one consisted of a combination of classroom learning as well as various track exercises to allow the drivers to get used to the new cars, equipment and track. Adrien did extremely well and demonstrated his ability to adapt to the new car quickly, using techniques which he learned in his driving début in the F2000 in Montreal ( 2002).

On day two, the group took to the track. The group's experience level was diverse, from a driver who is a semi-finalist in the Red Bull Driver search, to Stars of Tomorrow Champion karters. All the drivers competing, represented the top of their current driving class. Adrien learned the car and the track quickly, in his forty-five minute 'free practice'. During the evaluation session on track, Adrien refined his line and posted the third fastest time of the entire group. With only .42 seconds separating the top three cars and only .1 second separating second and third spot the competition was fierce.

As a result of the competition Adrien has been granted his FIA International C license, (the youngest Canadian driver ) and although it is not official, he is expected to travel to Spain in January where the fifteen finalists will compete for one of five available scholarships. Adrien's coach Danny Kok said "Adrien performed incredibly amongst a very seasoned group of drivers." "Achieving the third fastest time under these circumstances shows the amount of ability he has to compete internationally." "Our objective now, must be to secure the balance of funding to run the entire Formula BMW season."

"I had a ton of fun. The cars were fun to drive, the track was great, and I got to go to Spain for 3 days! The only bad thing is that there was a three foot high pile of homework to do when I got back."

Adrien's next scheduled event in November is the Formula TR Final race in Las Vegas.


Aug 20, 2004 - TOUGH LUCK FOR HERBERTS IN PORTLAND
Adrien Herberts had 'one of those races' in Portland, the kind you just can't seem to win. Arriving on Thursday for a practice day, Adrien and the CT Motorsports team only got one session in before the rain cancelled their plans for the day. This left them with no idea how the set-up would be for Fridays official test sessions. Throughout the day Friday, the crew was furiously working on Adrien's car, because they battled with set-up the whole day. Not able to get the car working properly for the first two sessions, Adrien was overjoyed when they got it close for the third and final session of the day. The unfortunate part is that he had to try and learn the track very quickly, as tomorrow was the qualifying/race.

During qualifying, the car developed it's old problems again, causing Adrien to qualify 8th. This turned out to be helpful in the race, however. At the start, the leaders had a large wreck going into turn one. Taking full advantage of this, Adrien moved from 8th to 4th through one corner. After the restart, Adrien was locked in a close race between the two Speed Secrets cars in front of him. He made a smooth pass going into turn seven, then out-braked the car in front of him going into turn one. At this point Adrien was running 3rd, and catching the second place car quickly. Adrien's chance at second place was taken away, however, when some oil-dry on the track slicked his tries, causing an agonizing spin coming onto the straight away. A quick recovery allowed Adrien to finish the race.

After a good drive on Saturday, but no podium, Adrien knew what he had to do on Sunday. After running into problems in qualifying again, he started 8th. Two incidents left the field driving around under yellow flags, Adrien was 5th and looking towards his podium. Again, Adrien's race was plagued as the leader missed his shift, in effect causing the field to slam on the brakes. In Adrien's effort to avoid the car in front of him, a single bolt broke in the steering system. The CT crew worked hard and got Adrien back out, and he managed to finish ahead of five cars.

Despite bad luck, Adrien drove well and proved once again that he is a contender. He is looking forward to his Formula BMW drive in Spain coming up in just 1 1/2 weeks time…


Aug 20, 2004 - FORMULA BMW PICKS COQUITLAM DRIVER
Coquitlam teen Adrien Herberts will head for the race track in Valencia Spain next month after being selected as one of the top North American drivers to compete for one of five 40,000.00us BMW Scholarships. At barely fifteen years old Adrien will be the youngest to compete for BMW and he is only one of three drivers outside the U.S. to make the trek. This opportunity represents a tremendous boost towards running the Formula series in 2005. With Adrien having a very solid year so far this season in Formula TR with two podiums in eight starts and consistent qualifying in the top of the field, he is hopeful that sponsors will jump at the chance to be associated with the auto giant Formula BMW Series. The series will race at the two North American Grand Prix F1 events as well as several Champ Car World Series events hosting over one million spectators.

"I understand that this is only round two of the three round elimination process, but I feel confident I will advance to round three." Adrien explains "This is an unbelievable opportunity for me."

The drivers will spend two days on and off track being assessed in every aspect of their ability to represent Formula BMW. On track they will spend their time in the 140hp Formula BMW which will cruise up to 200km/h.

Closer to home Adrien is gearing up to race his fifth event of the season at Portland International Raceway next week. "We will be using this as a warm-up for Valencia in just two weeks." says Herberts.


Aug 3 & 4, 2004 - Buttonwillow Testing
Like usual, it was a hot and sunny day in Willows California. Adrien flew down to Willows to attend BMW of San Francisco and Mini of San Francisco's track day at Thunderhill Raceway Park. CT Motorsports was attending, and had an extra BMW race car for Adrien to drive. Unfortunately, Adrien's age proved his downfall. Being under 16, he was not allowed on the track by Thunderhill's insurance regulations, despite having already raced on the track a few months before! So instead of driving, Adrien and his coach became the resident driver coaches of the day, helping rookie drivers lap their Mini Coopers and BMWs around the 3mile circuit of Thunderhill. Adrien had a fun day helping many drivers of different backgrounds push the car to it's limit, and theirs. Adrien's next track day will be in his Formula TR car at Portland International Raceway; but he will actually get to drive this time!


July 3 & 4, 2004 - Test update from Buttonwillow
The most recent test session was very successful for Adrien, as he and the CT Motorsports team worked on qualifying set-ups and strategy. It was also a chance to get in the car during the summer, as the next Formula TR event is Portland, in late August. The two days were very productive as many skills and strategies were worked on, and it gave Adrien a chance to drive in among the long break between races.

Despite the success on track, business caught up with Adrien. He met with a Sports Marketing Agent to discuss his future. Adrien also has been contacting many other companies and individuals regarding sponsorship opportunities and has some deals close to completion. At this point Herberts Racing is still looking for partnerships, and funding for the future.


June 6, 2004 - June 6 Buttonwillow Race Update
Adrien achieved his second podium of the season on Saturday, and was ready to take the Patterson Dental/Anvil Glass car to its second podium drive of the weekend. To accomplish this, the CT Motorsports team and Adrien made the decision to break in a brand new set of tires in the Sunday morning practice, which meant Adrien had no practice time for the qualifying session. It was quite obvious that the right decision was made, as Adrien lay down fast lap after fast lap to secure a grid spot on the front row, being beaten only by the driver who took second place in last year's championship.

Leading up to the race, it soon became clear that it was quite plausible for the Patterson Dental/Anvil Glass car to be the winner of the June 6 race. With times that were unchallenged by the fourth place car and below, it looked like a three way battle for first. After being jumped on the start, Adrien quickly looked to make up a few spots going into the first few corners. Unfortunately, coming out of a blind corner, Adrien let a wheel slip onto the dirt. Things looked fine as Adrien started to collect the car and bring it back onto the circuit, but Buttonwillow Raceway prevented that as a pothole bent Adrien's suspension. Despite this frustrating way to end a weekend, the CT Motorsports team and Adrien achieved their best results this season, including being the top qualifier for both races (excluding former Championship contenders), a third place, and consistently being one of the cars to beat.

"Of course it was a heart breaker; as we were a serious contender for first place this race. It was just one of those things were the tires were cold, and then just some strange luck to have a pothole that close to the track. I feel that we accomplished great things this weekend, and if I manage to fund the Portland Race, we could be going into that weekend strong as ever."


June 5, 2004 - Saturday race Update from Buttonwillow

The tension was running high today in the Formula TR pits. Two former Formula TR champions, Tim Barber, and John Knudson, decided not to run in the Formula TR 2000 class as planned and instead decided to join the Formula TR 1600 field for the Saturday Race event. During the morning warm-up, Adrien continued to improve his times from the Friday testing. Completely focused for qualifying, Adrien drove his Patterson Dental/Anvil Glass car to a third place starting position, a mere .1 second behind the 2002champion.

With the shot of confidence from a great qualifying session, Adrien prepared himself for the race. The sweltering heat meant that driver fatigue and tires could be important factors during the race. As they lined up for the start, the cars were ready and the green flag dropped. Adrien pulled to the inside, and was right beside the lead car as they headed into turn one. Squeezed to the inside Adrien was unable to maintain position and was relegated to last position. With his work was cut out for him, Adrien carefully picked his way through the field to fourth position. With 8 laps remaining, a costly mistake by the third place car opened the window for Adrien to take over third spot. Finishing the last laps with his best times Adrien continued to close on the leaders and secured his second podium finish of the season in third place. "Today was a great day, as our times prove we are a car to contend with. Today was a strong podium finish, and we are looking to be on the top step of the podium tomorrow." Adrien said following today's race.


June 4, 2004 - Friday Test Update from Buttonwillow

During the course of the weekend, many hard laps are put in. The Friday of a race weekend, although containing no racing, is the hardest day on the driver, and crew. "Today the crew and I worked extremely hard, and it paid off as the Anvil/Patterson car was one of the cars to beat."

Adrien Herberts drove over 140 miles on Friday, preparing for the Buttonwillow race, which is the fourth of eight events in the FormulaTR season. During the course of the day, Herberts consistently was in the top of field, and kept speeding up as the day went on. The 100 degree Fahrenheit weather was not kind to the car, as the tires wore off quickly and the starter failed. Despite trying conditions, Adrien kept his car on the fast track and looks to achieve his greatest results yet, this weekend.


May 15, 2004 - HERBERTS TAGGED FOR FORMULA BMW SERIES

CT Motors owner John Siau has announced that he will be expanding his motor sport venues next year. He plans to launch a Formula BMW team.

Formula BMW is a series that is highly competitive and has very high exposure, including racing at the Grand Prix of Canada, the Grand Prix of America, as well as numerous Champ Car races.

Currently, Mr. Siau sees the team being built around Adrien Herberts, a tremendous opportunity for the young driver. This series offers many prizes and scholarships, and is used as a tool by the Champ Car and Formula One teams to scout the latest talent on the market.

"We believe that Formula BMW USA is an important way for the next generation of Champ Car superstars to begin their open-wheel racing careers," says Champ Car President Dick Eidswick. "The fact that these drivers and teams will be competing at some of our races gives them a great opportunity to showcase their talents to those team owners at the next level. Sometimes all it takes is for a driver to impress the right person, and Formula BMW USA will give them that chance."

"This is a chance that you can't pass up," 14-year old Adrien said, "Racing in the Formula BMW series would provide a great learning experience and a chance to further my career in motor sports."

Currently, the one obstacle in the way of this shining prospect is financing; as Herberts Racing would need a large increase in outside funding to continue. Adrien says the look for sponsorship money will not dim his hopes, as he intends not to let this glorious chance drive by.




May 2, 2004 - THUNDERHILL CHALLENGES FOR HERBERTS

WILLOWS, CA: The third race of the Formula TR season, and Port Coquitlam native, 14 year old Adrien Herberts driving the Patterson Dental/Anvil Glass racecar was looking for his second consecutive podium finish.

This was going to be very difficult as this year the competition in the Formula TR field is stronger than ever. Throughout the weekend, Adrien continued to improve his lap times and driving level, which earned him two 5th place qualifying spots.

A chaotic start in the first race shuffled Adrien back several positions, this meant that Adrien was out of touch with the leaders, yet still finished a respectable sixth place. For the second race, starting from 5th again, Adrien had a strong start and stayed with the leaders.

Running 5th, Adrien was a full two seconds faster than the third and fourth place cars. After several attempts and some swapping of position between Adrien and the fourth place car, the race for position was over for Adrien. While attempting to pass the car in front, Adrien had to make a drastic evasive maneuver to avoid the blocking car. This forced Adrien off-track, at which point the deficit was too great to make another strong run for the lead.

"I had at least a third place car this weekend, I am disappointed for my sponsors and the team that we got caught up in some questionable driving" said Herberts about the incident. Despite not achieving the results he had hoped for, Adrien did make great progress by improving his overall speed, race craft, and strategy skills.

The next race is June 5, and 6 at Buttonwillow raceway.


April 4, 2004 - HERBERTS DRIVES TO STRONG PODIUM FINISH

BUTTONWILLOW, CA: Adrien drove to a strong podium finish on April 4, in Buttonwillow California. The CT Motorsports team worked non-stop on the Patterson Dental-Anvil Glass car to make sure that Adrien could maximize his second race weekend. After qualifying, Adrien managed to achieve fifth spot on the starting grid.

Making some impressive passes during the early stages of the race, he was a secure second place until he was beat out of the second level podium spot by just inches at the finish line!

Adrien is the rookie of the Formula TR Professional Racing Series this year, at just fourteen years of age and without any form of auto racing experience. The weekend not only marked another stage of his open-wheel racing career, but it opened up a door to another form of racing. Just hours before the start of Buttonwillow's and NASA's 3hour endurance race, CT Motorsports director John Siau notified Adrien and two other top Formula TR drivers that he had a Race modified Mini Cooper they could run in the upcoming race.

All three drivers were eager to experience another angle of racing, and entered the event, despite none being old enough to have experienced driving in a street vehicle! Even with such limited experience the team was competitive, until the clutch gave way an hour into the race.

This event, although exciting, was greatly overshadowed by Adrien's first podium of the series, in just his second race weekend.

"It feels great," an enthusiastic Adrien says, "and it will only get better from here." The next race is May 1-2, in Thunderhill Raceway Park, where Adrien and the CT Motorsports team will look for a second straight podium finish. To learn more about Adrien Herberts, and Formula TR Racing, go to www.herbertsracing.com.


March 7, 2004 - HERBERTS COMPLETES FIRST PROFESSIONAL RACE

FONTANA, CA: Adrien Herberts competed in his first professional race on March 6, and 7. He was driving at California Super Speedway, in a Formula TR racecar.

After testing that Friday, Adrien and his team, CT Motorsports, traveled to Fontana for the first race of the season with high expectations. Unfortunately, after a good start to the race, Adrien was taken out of contention when another competitor damaged his rear suspension severely. The crew worked frantically to repair the damage for Sunday's race.

Qualifying fourth fastest, Adrien was in good position to podium his second race. Yet again, luck was not bestowed upon Adrien as it was apparent early in the race that the suspension was still incorrect, and the gearbox was also having troubles.

Despite a car underneath him that was faltering, Adrien managed to turn times as fast as the leaders. Although the results of the weekend were ill-fated, Adrien proved he was as fast as the leaders and will look for the podium in his next race on April 3, and 4.
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