Archive for 2007

Formula Renault star Riki Christodoulou has finished second in the 2007 Winter Cup after last weekend’s final round at a wet Croft circuit in North Yorkshire. The nineteen year old from Sutton Coldfield and former European vice-champion Karter capped his first season as a single-seater racing driver with a best result of fifth from the two sprints.

Fortec Motorsport representative Christodoulou, who grabbed seven podiums and a victory from twenty rounds of the UK championship this year, wasn’t able to add the Winter Cup mini series accolade to his rapidly growing CV after some tyre confusion ruled out his chances in the opening race.

‘The Cup ended up being a missed opportunity really,” he said. “Circumstances arose that prevented me from going for the win and getting the three points that I needed to take overall victory.’

‘The first race started in the wet but because another car had stalled on the grid they went for a restart which gave people time to change tyres. The track was wet but we did not judge just how much the wind would dry the place. A decision was made to stick with wet tyres but it became obvious that those who had opted for slicks were at an advantage as the race wore on. I was running as high as fifth early on but then dropped back.’

‘Christo’ – who set a new fastest lap record in tests several weeks ago at the venue – again marked the quickest circulation in the second heat but could rise no higher than fifth and lost out to Richard Singleton by three points.

‘The year has been reasonable,’ he evaluated on 2007 after taking sixth position in the UK championship. ‘I have learnt a lot but I would have liked to have won more. There has been some bad luck on the way but then again I have also made some mistakes. It all bodes well for next season however.’

Christodoulou will now enter into a testing schedule in preparation for 2008. His first outing will take place next week at the Rockingham circuit.

Category: News

Riki Christodoulou continues to make great strides in the Formula Renault racing series and emerged from the first of two meetings in the 2007 Formula Renault UK Winter Cup at Donington Park last weekend tied on points at the top of the Drivers standings.

The Fortec Motorsport driver, who recently took his first UK win at Thruxton to cap an impressive first season in the Renault competition that runs concurrent with the British Touring Car Championship, finished both races with a set of third positions. The nineteen year old from Sutton Coldfield marked pole position and the fastest lap in the first damp sprint around the Midlands venue although his hopes of victory were dashed when he slid wide at the Old Hairpin on the opening lap.

“It was spitting heavily while we were on the grid and because I was first into Craner Curves and coming down the hill I had to discover just how slippery it was,” he recounted. “The back-end let go but I managed to control the car and got back on the track in fourth.”

After fighting his way into the top three earlier in the day Christo plagued Hywel Lloyd for third place in the second heat although he faced a disadvantage on the straight. “He basically had more top speed than me so I had to be sharp and use some racecraft to pass him at the right time,” he said. “I moved though OK but the few laps that it took me to finally overtake meant that the leaders had a small gap and I could not bring that down before the end of the race.”

“Overall I’m pleased to be up there in the Cup as it is a series I would like to win and which would set me up nicely for my second full season in 2008,” he evaluated. “I believe that I should have taken a chequered flag at Donington but I am full of confidence for Croft next week.”

The second and final outing (rounds three and four) in the Winter Cup will take place at the Croft circuit on November 10th.

In the meantime former British junior karting Champion Christodoulou has recently been accepted to the British Racing Drivers Club’s Rising Stars programme. The prestigious BRDC society was inaugurated back in 1928 and now boasts 900 members although entry to the club is strict and by means of selection. The Rising Stars scheme offers a platform for young racing talent and the drivers invited to apply for membership face a vetting process.

Based at Silverstone and synonymous with the British Grand Prix, the BRDC has been connected with most of the famous names in Motorsport for more than half a century.

“It is an honour and a great thing for my CV,” said Riki, who needed to attend an interview at the GP venue. “There are a few benefits such as use of the BRDC facilities if we need to show some sponsors around and tickets for the F1 GP, but the main thing is being selected as a member and to join a long tradition.”

Category: News

Promising British racing talent Riki Christodoulou again showed impressive pace in the Formula Renault series with some decent lap times around the Circuit de Catalunya just outside Barcelona last weekend for the final round of the 2007 World Series by Renault.

The nineteen year old, who won the last race of the 2007 UK Formula Renault championship in only his first season single-seater racing since his move up from Karting, had a speedy run at his first visit to the venue that holds an F1 GP and is also a popular testing track for the Formula One teams.

‘Christo’, from Sutton Coldfield, set pole position times through qualification and classified second fastest for the second heat on Sunday. The first sprint did not go to plan after an incident in the chrono saw him veer off the track and hit the wall. He nevertheless recovered strongly and drove diligently to come back from a lowly nineteenth position on the grid to register a top ten finish. Starting from second spot on Sunday he ran in third place for most of the race but a rookie mistake on turn three saw him run wide and spin out.

“On the face of it the weekend was a bit of a nightmare,” he said. “However I can take consolation from the fact that I was again on the pace and setting some of the best lap-time even though I had never been to this circuit before. I really enjoyed driving here actually; it was quick and challenging.”

Christodoulou will now prepare for the Formula Renault UK Winter Series that starts this weekend at Donington Park. The second meeting will be at the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire where the former British Karting Champion set a new lap record in tests two weeks ago.

Category: News

Formula Renault UK with Michelin driver Riki Christodoulou has ended his debut season in the series and first term inside a single-seater racecar by taking his maiden triumph at the fast and relentless Thruxton circuit. The nineteen year old guided his Fortec FR2.0 to the chequered flag in the second of the two races in Andover that also represented the final nineteenth and twentieth rounds of the 2007 competition.

‘Christo’ rounded off his first ‘toe-dip’ into Formula Renault with his seventh podium result from twenty events across seven of Britain’s premier circuits and his second victory after scooping the second round of the German series at Oschersleben back in July. The Sutton Coldfield-based former British Junior Karting Champion has ended his first attempt with sixth position overall and only narrowly lost out on the rookie Graduate Cup.

The 2006 European vice champion karter was unlucky not to have taken a double win at Thruxton. He qualified only three thousandths of a second away from Pole Position and then was shunted into a spin and out of the first leg by his cousin and closest competitor for the Graduate Cup. Fired-up and ready for race two he amassed a clear lead from the first lap but had to work hard in the closing stages after the appearance of the safety car drew the pack closer together. He managed to seal 32 points for first position however.

“The weekend went pretty well and obviously I’m chuffed to take my first win,” he commented. “Do I feel like it is overdue? Perhaps, a little bit. I have certainly showed that I have the speed to do well in this series. 2007 has been a learning year but my goal for the weekend was to end the season strongly and I rose to the task. It was awesome to see the team and everyone leaning over the pit-wall at the end and it felt as great as I thought it would do.”

“Things were a bit tense between Adam (his cousin) and I after that first one,” he continued. “He was making some crazy moves to stop me going through and leading the race and eventually he hit my wheel after attempting to go around the outside when there just wasn’t room for two cars on the corner. I was really annoyed as I knew that I could have won both races.”

“The next time we came out on the grid I felt really confident and was determined to ‘do’ Adam off the line,” he added. “I had almost a three second lead after three laps and would have been long gone if the safety car had not drawn us back together. I think I had pushed the tyres too hard in the first part of the race though as the car had gone off after that. He got close near the end but I kept cool to win.”

Formula Renault is arguably the highest profile racing series for up-and-coming drivers with F1 ace Lewis Hamilton a former champion. The schedule runs alongside the British Touring Car Championship and race highlights can be found on Sky Sports.

Although the domestic campaign has come to an end Riki still has a busy schedule ahead. A two day test at Croft will take place next week before he heads to the Montmelo circuit just outside Barcelona for another entry in the World Series. The FR Winter Cup with races at Donington Park and Croft will then take the youngster into December where he will begin to think about testing and preparation for 2008.

Category: News

Former Junior British Karting Champion and 2006 European vice-champion Riki Christodoulou will complete his first season of single-seater racing this weekend with the tenth and last round of the 2007 ‘Formula Renault UK with Michelin’ championship.

The Fortec Motorsport driver and Sutton Coldfield resident will head to the fast and challenging Thruxton circuit in southern England today for the nineteenth and twentieth races of the popular series that runs alongside the British Touring Car championship.

19 year old ‘Christo’ enters the meeting with his tail-up having taken two second positions last time out at Donington Park. He still has a chance of grabbing the Rookie Graduate Cup and securing a solid top five finish in the standings. Riki has taken an impressive six podiums from the eighteen sprints held so far at major circuits across the country. Not only has he had to learn the intricacies of courses such as Snetterton, Brands Hatch and Rockingham but also feel his way around the FR2.0 car.

“Overall I feel that I have been very quick, but the season could have gone better in terms of a few results,” he said before making the trip to Thruxton. “I have missed some consistency and have been really unlucky at other races, but I guess this is part of the sport. I am not going to let it affect me though and my goal for Thruxton is to go for both wins.”

Christo’s highest finish has been second place, which he has obtained on four occasions, one of which was at Thruxton earlier this year. “It is one of the fastest tracks in Britain and because of the layout there is hardly any down-force on the car, so it tends to skate around a lot and it took some getting used to last time. With the set-up we should be pretty much ready and I am feeling very confident.”

Christodoulou also revealed that he is likely to be a Formula Renault driver again in 2008 and will try to take the crown at his second attempt. “I want to do another year as I want to prove myself further,” he commented. “There is also a danger of moving up the classes too quickly. I have learnt a lot this season and I want to put that into more effective practice in 2008 and develop again as a driver.”

Category: News

Formula Renault UK with Michelin driver Riki Christodoulou enjoyed his best weekend yet in his debut single-seater racing season as he took a brace of runner-up positions in the penultimate meeting of the year and in front of a bumper crowd at Donington Park who had flocked to see the World Series racing extravaganza.

The nineteen year old Fortec Motorsport racer and former European karting vice-champion started from second place on the grid in his FR2.0 machine. He chased Duncan Tappy in the first outing and fought off his team-mate Dean Smith to secure second spot despite struggling with a lack of rear traction. In the second race – run later in the afternoon – he was able to challenge Tappy with more gusto and only lost the tow of his rival in the closing laps.

“Of course I’m really happy,” he enthused. “I had good starts in both races and really made the most of my opportunities.”

“In the first race I almost had the lead around the first corner but then settled into second,” he reflected. “I was struggling a bit with a lack of rear end grip because we were racing quite early in the morning and it was cool. I lost touch with Tappy in front, and towards the end I could feel Dean getting close but was able to take second which equalled my best finish yet.”

“The second race was even better it was later in the afternoon and the warmer temperatures were better for me,” Christo, who won a high-profile round of the German series earlier this year commented. “Again it was down to Tappy and I, and after the safety car came out this time I stuck to his rear wing for most of the race. I never really got in a position to pass as I would be quicker in one half of the track but he would be faster in another.

After two luckless meetings the Sutton Coldfield resident blazed back to form on the best possible ‘stage’ and now has risen to sixth in the championship standings and can still make the top five.

“There were apparently more than 80,000 people there and I had a lot of friends and family coming to watch,” he added. “Some Euro teams also turned up so it was good to give a decent showing. The double podium has helped my confidence and I’m looking forward to a strong end to the season now.”

Christo has two major race meetings left. He will travel to Magny-Cours in two weeks to contest the fifth round of the French Championship, while the tenth and last meeting of the UK series will take place at the Thruxton circuit where Riki gained second position at the first visit to the venue in May; only his fifth solo-seater race.

Category: News

Formula Renault driver and winner of the Oschersleben round of the German series earlier this season, Riki Christodoulou will enter the biggest race meeting of his young career this weekend with the World Series at Donington Park; that also forms the penultimate round of the 2007 Formula Renault UK with Michelin championship.

The nineteen year old Team Fortec Motorsport representative is nearing the end of his maiden season in the Renault competition and also his first in single-seater racing. He has already obtained several podium results this year and now faces a busy weekend at one of Britain’s premier Motorsport venues.

“Of course I am looking forward to the weekend and also having the chance to drive the full GP circuit at Donington as earlier in the year we lapped the international track,” the former British Junior Karting Champion said who scored his fourth top three result in the East Midlands during July. “We should have a good set-up already but we’ll work hard with the team to sort things out for the new section. Donington is fun to drive even if it is a bit slippery compared to other circuits.”

Christo currently stands seventh (from 21 runners) in the points table as the last two meetings have not been the most fortunate for the 2006 European Karting vice-champion and although the FR title may be slightly out of reach he wants to end ’07 continuing his upward trajectory. “This year hasn’t gone to plan and the championship has escaped me but there have definitely been highlights and it has been a massive learning experience. I just want to get in among the leaders now and reach the podium again.”

“The World Series will be a big meeting but so was the second round of the German championship that I won. I have been training hard and will be focussed for the race,” he added.

The Formula Renault field with have two days of testing this week before qualification and the races fill part of the weekend schedule. Check out Riki’s website www.rikichristo.com for updates on his progress this week.

Category: News

Promising ‘Formula Renault UK with Michelin’ series driver Riki Christodoulou has had a brace of unlucky races within the popular and competitive championship. He suffered two DNFs recently at Snetterton, while last weekend at Brands Hatch a spin in damp testing meant that 12th and 7th were his results after two lowly positions on the starting grid.

The nineteen year old from Sutton Coldfield was fastest around the Kent venue in humid conditions during testing but overstepped the mark and spun out at the tight Druids corner. He then struggled in the second qualification session to place 10th meaning a hefty handicap for the two races in his Fortec machine.

“I was confident and comfortable in testing but the losing the rear end of the car just shook me up a little bit and I couldn’t get in the same groove or get the same feeling with the car afterwards,” he recalls. “I was so far back on the grid for the first race that the marshal asked me if I could see the lights! I looked at him and saw that he wasn’t joking.”

“It was wet for the first one and I had a good start but it was tough to pass,” he continued. “I wanted to show what I could do but it was far from easy. In the second race I started from 10th position, which was slightly better, and then really enjoyed myself. I made two positions around the outside of Druids and kept a consistent pace and was passing quite a few people. The car’s performance went a bit off when the safety car came out but then the tyres warmed up again and I was able to take seventh.”

“It was far from a good weekend and after being hit at Snetterton and also having a mechanical problem in the second race it has been two meetings in a row now without much luck.”

Former British Junior Karting Champion ‘Christo’ has dropped to seventh in the championship standings in his first year single-seater racing. The final round takes place at Thruxton (where he scored his best result to-date with second position) on October 13th/14th but first is the World Series event at Donington Park on September 8th/9th.

“The championship is gone now but I will keep plugging away because I want my first win before the end of the season,” he added.

Category: News

Fortec Motorsport Formula Renault driver Riki Christodoulou secured the fourth podium of his debut season in the high profile single-seater racing series by taking third position in the first of the two races held at a rain-hit Donington Park last weekend.

The 2007 UK ‘Formula Renault with Michelin’ competition supports the British Touring Car Championship and the eleventh and twelfth rounds of the calendar travelled to the venue that hosts the MotoGP and Motocross world championship events.

Negotiating his first event in the wet former British Junior Karting champion ‘Christo’, who turned 19 years old on raceday, drove smoothly and competently to slot into third place before the first sprint was red-flagged due to bad conditions. The torrential downpours later eased and the second outing got underway. The Sutton Coldfield resident had moved into the runner-up berth from the second row of the grid and was aiming to register his best finish of the year when he ran into some trouble.

“It had just started raining again around the back of the circuit and another car had spun on the track,” he recounted. “I under-steered a little bit around one of the faster corners and the stationary car was parked right by the side of the asphalt. I ran a little bit onto the grass and could not avoid clipping the front of it.”

“I could not believe it,” he added. “If it had been parked anywhere else then I would have veered back onto the track without a problem but as it was I had to retire. The first race was great and I was really enjoying the track even if it was wet. I had a great start and was doing well until the race was stopped. The second one was just disappointing, but I feel that I am progressing all the time.”

With the series now into the second half of its ten meetings and twenty rounds, Christodoulou stands fourth in points table after his worst result has been dropped. He is currently second in the rookie Graduate Cup award.

This week he heads to the fast Snetterton circuit in Norfolk for testing. The next race there on July 29th will take place at yet another unseen course for the teenager, but he is impressing this year with his speed and adaptation to the Fortec FR 2.0 machinery.

Category: News

Leading British motor racing prospect Riki Christodoulou carved a small landmark in his impressive career to-date by winning his first Formula Renault event. The former Junior British Karting Champion led from start to finish at the Oschersleben circuit for the second round of the German series and now hopes to carry his momentum into the second half of the Formula Renault with Michelin UK competition; his maiden single-seater campaign.

The Fortec Motorsport driver claimed pole position in his first European outing for the prestigious team and avoided a collision on opening corner to take sixth in race one. He then used the advantage of his excellent grid position to blast away from the pack by over three seconds and steer the FR2.0 machine across the finish line first in the second sprint.

It is the first chequered flag for the former vice European Karting champion after taking a debut podium at Rockingham earlier this season. The Sutton Coldfield resident, who is nineteen next week, returns to British Championship duty this weekend at Donington Park for rounds eleven and twelve. He currently standings fifth in the points table and is second for the Graduate (Rookie) trophy.

“This is awesome,” he enthused. “I did not make one mistake and really enjoyed the track. It was nice and hot and the layout was fast and flowing. It was great to get this win as I have been getting closer and closer recently. I should have been better than sixth in the first race but I was lucky to come out of a busy first corner unscathed. Anyway, I will go to Donington confident of more success and knowing what I am capable of with the car. I want to thank my dad, Fortec and all my family and friends for getting me to this level; their support could not have been better.”

Category: News

Highly rated Fortec Motorsport driver Riki Christodoulou continues to impress in his maiden ‘Formula Renault UK with Michelin’ season by taking fourth and third positions in the seventh and eighth rounds of the twenty race series respectively last Sunday at the Croft circuit in Yorkshire.

The 18 year old guided his single-seater Renault to another podium position (his third of the year) in the second of two relatively straight-forward drives in sweltering 28 degree temperatures.

The layout proved difficult for the nineteen drivers to overtake but ‘Christo’ showed his speed by being the fastest rookie driver in both eleven-lap heats and setting the quickest circulation both times.

“It was a reasonable weekend,” the Sutton Coldfield resident summarised. “Testing had gone OK but we could have done with some more pace really. I had a couple of steady races and it was hard to get any clean-cut passing opportunities. It was the first time I had driven the Renault in those temperatures and I found that the car moved around a lot in the first race but we made some changes and it was much better in the second; so we learnt a lot at least.”

“I am happy with how the season it going so far and the team are also pleased,” he added. “I just have to keep it going now.”

The teenager is still searching for his first victory in the contest but is getting closer every time and has now finished in the top five in half of his appearances so far. His lowest result steering the FR 2.0 has been an eleventh position taken after running off the track in the second race at Thruxton. He has missed the top ten on only one occasion.

Christo is currently fourth in the standings and just six points from third and the top spot on the rookie Graduate’s Cup.

Rounds nine and ten, reaching the half-way point on the schedule, will take place in three weeks at Oulton Park.

Category: News

Emerging British driving talent Riki Christodoulou scored second position at an overcast Thruxton last weekend in only his fifth event as part of the 2007 ‘Formula Renault UK with Michelin’ championship. The eighteen year old set the fastest lap on the way to his second consecutive podium result in what is so far an impressive maiden campaign in single-seater racing.

Rounds five and six took place at the fast and flat circuit in Hampshire. Fortec team member Christodoulou qualified in 8th position after a sunny pair of sessions on Saturday but the day was not without incident. “In the second qualification session I had a spin after locking the rear end and couldn’t really find my rhythm afterwards in the time I had left,” he said. “I had struggled with my starts at the first races but I am quickly learning about this car and what I can do. This time I did not have any trouble and nailed it perfectly off the grid.”

‘Christo’ launched into second place as the first outing became a matter of defence and then attack. “I had a bit of pressure in the first part of the race but after that it was pretty straight forward,” he recounted. “I tried hard to get with the leader but just lacked that little bit of oomph to get on his rear wheel. Still, I set the fastest lap and then decided to ease off in the last moments to save my tyres for the second race.”

The second affair saw a moment of misfortune as the Sutton Coldfield resident ran off the track but he then reeled off a superb set of laps to work his way back from dead-last to eleventh. “Again I got away well from eighth position and it was a bit chaotic in the complex section but I moved into seventh,” he continued. “I had run a little bit off line and my tyres picked up some rubbish and as I went into Goodwood I understeered off the track into a spin. I managed to re-start and was seventeen seconds behind the last driver but drove well to overtake about six or seven cars before the chequered flag for eleventh place; that wasn’t too bad considering.”

Christo had moved up to fourth in the championship after the initial race but then dropped back to fifth in the wake of his excursion. He still feels he is scaling a steep learning curve with confidence. “Thruxton is a really good track and I enjoyed it. I am still learning from my mistakes but I feel full of confidence about what I can do in this championship,” he added. “The car feels more natural to me each time and even the team’s technicians have commented on how quick I have adapted. Gauging and finding out about all these new circuits is also becoming a faster process and I can’t wait for the next race now.”

The fourth meeting of the series (that runs as a support event to the British Touring Car Championship) will take place at the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire on June 2nd/3rd. Riki will have a two day testing session at the venue before then and an update on how he fares can be found on his website.

Category: News

Hot British Motorsport prospect Riki Christodoulou justified his tag and growing hype by capturing his first top three finish in the 2007 ‘Formula Renault UK with Michelin’ championship on Sunday at the Rockingham Speedway. The 18 year old finished runner-up in the second of two sprints representing rounds three and four of the twenty race campaign.

Fortec driver ‘Christo’, a rookie to the single-seater series and competing in only his second meeting as part of the premier national competition – supporting the British Touring Car Championship – highlighting young British talent, was 3rd and 2nd fastest in two qualification sessions on Saturday.

The two races witnessed varying fortunes. He was pushed wide on the opening corner of the first outing and had to recover from hitting the grass to make time and take ninth position. “I was extremely disappointed with that race and I think it must have been one of the worst scenarios in my career so far,” he revealed. “It was annoying the way the chain of events rolled out and left me far adrift, but I put it behind me later on.”

A smoother start – by slotting straight into second place – and consistent drive in the next event delivered his first taste of champagne and maiden visit to the podium, in what was a clean sweep for the Fortec crew. “After that nightmare in race one it was amazing to get on the podium and see the whole team cheering on the pit wall,” the Sutton Coldfield resident commented. “I had enjoyed the track in pre-season tests and although I was making a few mistakes on some corners I still kept a decent speed. This is only my second race in the championship and I don’t feel that the podium result has come too early. It feels right, and I know I am capable of better against drivers that are far more experienced than me in this series.”

“There was a lot of attention afterwards and spraying the champagne was a lot of fun,” added the former British Junior Karting Champion and 2006 European Formula A Vice-Champion.

Christodoulou is now 5th in the standings with the next round set to take place at arguably the fastest circuit in the country, Thruxton, on 6th of May.

“We had two 45 minute test sessions at Thruxton during pre-season and I was second fastest and only half a tenth of a second behind the top guy,” said Christo. “It is important to be smooth there but it is an exciting place and now I am just full of confidence; I want the next race to come around as soon as possible!”

Category: News

One of the most exciting motor racing prospects Riki Christodoulou makes his Formula Renault debut this weekend for the opening round of the 2007 series at Brands Hatch. The 18 year old has already impressed in winter tests, setting lap-times easily within the top ten steering his Fortec Motorsport FR2.0 and now faces a new step on his career ladder.

In this Q+A he reveals his first sensations of the Renault car, on moving up from Karting where he was a British Junior Champion and European FA vice-champ, and hopes of setting the single-make contest alight at his first attempt.

Riki, a new challenge ahead and finally a move to single-seaters. Can you tell us when and why you made the decision to step ‘up’?

RC: It was the next level up from Karting to be honest and as soon as the 2006 season was finished I was straight into cars. The timing was perfect because I am still young and I wanted to learn more. We had a few people to talk with but Fortec approached us early on and then we did not feel that we had to speak to anyone else. We knew they were a good team and they really wanted me. I was into my Karting as much as possible but as the season was coming to an end I was travelling to a few more Renault races and watching them; they were definitely the team to beat.

Was it always going to be Formula Renault for you?

RC: Yes, I had one test in a BMW but when I tried the Renault it was ten times better for me and I enjoyed it a lot more.

Obviously the association with Fortec is positive…

RC: Yes, it is one of the top teams in Renault, if not the best. I feel very strong being part of the line-up. During the winter tests I wanted to be the number one driver and they kept telling me that if I was the fastest then I’d be number one. Lately I have been the quickest from the four of us so I hope that will carry on into the races! I don’t think there is a concrete 1-2-3-4 ranking at the moment but it kind of goes that way towards the end of the season. Being the main guy doesn’t mean more attention necessarily but if you are pushing for the championship then there will probably be some preference in terms of who gets what material.

It is your second drive with a professional team after the deal with Genikart last year. How does the set-up compare to what you have experienced before?

RC: It is nice to be in an environment like that with the workshop and facilities. To be honest it is not all that different to what I had with Genikart but it is a good feeling to be on a works team again. I have been to the workshop many times to do various things such as seat fittings, sorting out stickers and checking the new body kit for this season. They are a really nice bunch. There is one engineer for two drivers and then we have a mechanic each. Obviously there is a little bit of competitiveness between the drivers and maybe a little bit of sour grapes when I have been the quickest in my first tests, especially with other drivers who are into their second or third year. We are all friends though and that helps to push each other on more.

Tell us about the first time you drove the car. What were your impressions?

RC: The speed was OK but being in a vehicle that was a lot bigger than a kart was harder to get used to. I feel a lot more confident now and the speed does not seem as quick as when I first got in. The acceleration and braking was obviously stronger but I was like a little kid in the sweet shop; just really excited. It was tricky getting a whole lap together initially and judging where to be on the track while also trying to be on the limit. A few months down the line I have more experience and it has all slowed down a lot; I can actually think about my driving.

Did it take long to get used to the different size, speed etc?

RC: There is a lot more to take in and I am learning each time I go out. I have learnt about dampers, wings and cambers and there are so many small things that change the car significantly. It may seem hard to believe from the outside but the tiniest little alteration can affect things. Our engineer commented recently that although I have been driving the Renault only a few months he was impressed by how quickly I could tell he had modified some settings; it is good that I am starting to feel what is happening with the car.

Was it a decent feeling to start making laps on renowned circuit like Brands etc?

RC: Yeah! I had seen places like Brands and Oulton Park on the TV but when it came to driving around them I thought, ‘the TV takes away so much’. It is an amazing feeling. It was difficult to start off. With a Kart you can climb to the top of the grandstand and more or less suss the whole track in one go but with the car you either have to go around in the road car or walk the course; it’s not a ten minute job! There will be drivers with more experience and track knowledge than me this season but I don’t feel that it will slow me down that much.

Despite some excellent speed and decent results do you feel like you have left Karting with unfinished business?

RC: Of course there was always more to win. Just missing out on the European Championship because I was knocked off the track was disappointing. I wanted to achieve more but that is behind me now and I have to look at the bigger picture and the end goal of Formula One.

What did you think of Formula Renault while still in Karting and what are your impressions now after testing and winter races?

RC: I had good impressions seeing it on TV and at one or two races and now, having driven the car itself, I think it’s awesome. It is a close series; at a track like Brands just one tenth of a second can separate the top eight drivers. Being that tight with cars that top 130mph is pretty exciting. It is a lot harder to overtake because the cars are that similar. You don’t gain anything down the straights unless you get a much better exit from the previous corner or the guy in front has made a mistake. That aspect of the racing is different for me because in Karting you can do a lunge from quite far back; you have to be a lot more patient here. A small error can cost you a lot.

Have you had to change anything in your life with this career move? New training, new regime?

RC: I have more weekends at home now but there is more to do during the week. I currently work (with his father’s firm) and train every day so I have a solid routine. Driving the car is not that much more physically demanding so I have not had to change my training programme.

Are your previous backers like Alpinestars and Roman Originals still involved?

RC: Yes, the deal with Alpinestars is great and they provide me with high-quality suits, boots and gloves. Roman originals are with me still and now I have a firm called BCR (British Car registrations) www.britishcarregistrations.co.uk who have also come onboard.

Nervous for this weekend?

RC: I have been more nervous in Karting to be honest. I actually feel quite confident. I haven’t had experience of a UK Renault race yet but I am really looking forward to getting out there and seeing what I can do. It will be awesome being on the grid in front of that crowd.

What can we realistically expect from you this season?

RC: I want to try and get as many podiums as I can and go for wins obviously. I don’t want to get my hopes up too much but I have been good in testing and people have seen that. To be going for the Championship at the end of the year would be great.

Can you explain the next steps on the ladder for an aspiring pro driver like yourself?

RC: Kimi Raikkonen won this series in his first year and look where he is now. To do well in Renault gives you good skills and provides a decent step to the next level and people look at this class to see the young generation coming through. I feel confident that I can get some good results and then hopefully move up the ladder. I want a good season and I would consider doing a second year in Renault but if things go really well the next step would be to F3 either British or International.

Category: News

Britain’s fastest young driver Riki Christodoulou stands on the precipice of his first season as a Formula Renault driver as a member of the high-profile Fortec Motorsport team. The 18 year old from Sutton Coldfield has graduated from the highest level of Karting and now enters single-seater car racing with an extremely promising set-up.

The ten round Formula Renault series visits Britain’s premier motorsport venues as part of the support programme to the British Touring Car Championship. The seven month campaign takes in Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Oulton Park, Snetterton, Croft, Thruxton and Rockingham.

Former British Junior Karting Champion and Formula A European Vice-Champion Christodoulou has been swift in getting down to the pace and different requirements of single-seater machinery.

“This is a big move up for me but I have taken to the car pretty fast and I’m enjoying the new challenge,” he said. “There is a lot to learn but I felt encouraged by my top ten finishes in the winter races and now can’t wait to start the season to see what I can do.”

The high-profile contest sees 17 participants competing in Renault FR2.0 rear engine, rear wheel drive cars capable of 0-100mph in less than five seconds. The sprints involve half hour 30 mile dashes with drivers only separated by guile and skill thanks to the strict technical regulations.

160,000 people watched BTCC events last year leaving little doubt that the ‘FR’ competition is an important and viable career step for ‘Christo’.

“There is no doubt that this is a whole new level and racing with the Touring cars means a lot of exposure,’” Christo revealed. “I am grateful to be linked to a team like Fortec and I feel that there are some exciting times ahead.”

The first meeting of ten in the 2007 series takes place on April 1st at Brands Hatch. A Q+A with Riki will be issued in the next few days.

Category: News