Haberfeld-Walker suspends BMW operation.

Former Champ Car driver Mario Haberfeld and veteran team Walker Racing have announced that they will suspend their Formula BMW USA programme in 2007.

The Haberfeld-Walker Racing venture was created in 2005 between Brazilian born Haberfeld, Alabama businessman Markus Bischopf and Derrick Walker. Haberfeld and Walker Racing set out on their maiden voyage in 2006 as they competed in the Formula BMW USA series fielding Brazilian Marco Santos and Mexican David Rangel.

"We have evaluated the series and other opportunities, which brought us to the conclusion that we should withdraw this program for the time being," commented HWR co-owner Derrick Walker. "The BMW series is a great programme that fit our ladder system as we operated it last year. In reviewing our objectives for 2007 we decided that the programme should become dormant while we focused on other objectives in-house. We will certainly re-evaluate our involvement in Formula BMW USA for 2008."

Although the team has decided to part ways, the experience was beneficial to everyone who was a part of the organisation.

"The Formula BMW USA programme was a great experience for me," stated Haberfeld. "It allowed me to look at it from the other side rather than the driving side. We as a team, Derrick, Markus and myself, decided to pursue different things in motor racing and thought it was fair to everyone involved to stop before the season starts."