Rob Nguyen

Rob Nguyen ( born August 16, 1980 in Brisbane ) is an Australian former racing driver of Vietnamese descent. Nguyen started in 2002 and 2003 in the International Formula 3000 Championship.

Career

Nguyen, who was born in Australia and grew up originally did not plan a career in motorsport. In 2000 he moved to Switzerland to study at the University of Lausanne economics. As a reward for good performance in studies, his parents financed a test drive in a Formula Opel racers in the Austrian racing school of Walter Penker. Nguyen sat never been to a race car and was never active in karting, Penker convinced with good times, but so much that it becomes a further test, which was also the regular rider of Penker should participate, invited him. The Australian was able to keep up with the more experienced pilots in this test and was then taken by Penker for his team Penker Racing for the 2001 season, the German Formula Volkswagen under contract.

Nguyen started with a Swiss license in the German Formula Volkswagen and was charged with two podium finishes fifth. Penker organized at the end of a test with the Belgian Formula 3000 Team Astro Mega. The Australian was on his first test, only seven tenths of a second slower than his team-mate Mario Haber field, who had already completed several season in Formula 3000. Astro Mega was from the services Nguyen's so impressed that they took him for two years under contract. The Australian had completed at this point in his career, only nine motorsports race. Nguyen scored his best result at the Nürburgring, where he finished the race in fifth place. More rankings in the points do not reach the racers. The season he finished in 14th place overall. A highlight of the season was that he set the fastest time in testing at Monza.

Although he was originally supposed to stay at Astro Mega for two years, joined the Australian 2003 BCN Competición. In the first three races of the racers came twice in the points to the finish. However, he was replaced after the first three races by Will Langhorne, because all the sponsorship money had run out. Nguyen was no cockpit with another team and was no longer in the season to use. He finished 15th overall. Although BCN Competición in the 2003 season may establish a total of seven drivers, Nguyen was the only BCN- pilot who could score points. To test drives at the end of the season he took part for Coloni and posted the third fastest time. Despite the good performance Nguyen received the 2004 European Formula racing in any race series a cockpit.

Instead, the Australians returned to his home and raced in the Formula Holden. Nguyen won two races and finished the season in third place overall.

After he had found for the 2005 season no cockpit, he ended his motorsport career after only four years of active service.

Career stations

• 2001: German Formula Volkswagen ( 5th place)
• 2002: International Formula 3000 Championship ( 14th place )
• 2003: International Formula 3000 Championship ( 15th place)
• 2004: Formula Holden ( 3rd place)