Having drawn inspiration from the Athens Olympics, Hong Kong's Marchy Lee heads to the 4.7km Autopolis circuit in Fukuoka, Japan, looking to continue his domination in the Formula BMW Asia series as the championship enters its ninth and 10th rounds. Lee has been engrossed by the exploits of athletes at the just-concluded Games and says he has been inspired to push himself harder as the championship passes the halfway stage. 'Motorsports will probably never make it into the Olympics, but just watching all those Olympians giving their all, putting four years of preparation together to win a gold, makes me want to succeed in racing even more. 'I can relate to their desire to win, and will continue to work hard for my goal,' said Lee, the overwhelming leader of the series. Lee has stepped up his fitness programme to better prepare himself for the rest of this season and for the move into higher levels of racing in the future. Although his races are only 20-30 minutes long, the forces at work in braking and cornering take their toll on the body, and so far Lee's fitness has given him a competitive edge because he is less tired towards the end of the race. Lee, who represents Monarch Lubricants Red Bull Team Meritus, has a commanding 58-point lead in the championship, ahead of Korean racer You Kyong-ouk (Team BMW Korea E-Rain). Lee hopes to return to winning ways after a blip in round eight in Beijing last month, when he spun out after his car was damaged. 'I'm really looking forward to the Japan race. I've never raced there, but the others have, and they all love the circuit. I want to put the last race behind me, and get back to winning. I am confident that I will learn the track quickly and I'll be ready for qualifying [today],' he said. Team Meritus have begun planning Lee's future, with team boss Peter Thompson saying he is talking to various international series to find the best next step for Lee 'Marchy has proven this year that he is a serious talent, and as a result many people are interested in him. We are carefully evaluating our options, but we are confident that we will find the right path to the top. All we need is more support from sponsors and a little luck.'
