Archive for 2008

Riki “Christo” Christodoulou has sampled Formula Three and World Series by Renault FR3.5 racing cars since the flag came down on his Formula Renault UK Championship campaign two months ago.

The 20-year-old Sutton Coldfield youngster finished sixth – his first full season of racing a single-seater – in the 2007 Formula Renault UK series and went one better this year, after scoring nine podium finishes – including two wins.

But “Christo”, who was challenging for the Renault UK title for much of the season and is sponsored by Alpinestars and British Car Registrations, must move up the motor racing “ladder” next year in his ultimate quest to reach Formula One.

The West Midlander has tested a F3 machine for Fortec Motorsport, the Daventry-based outfit that has run Riki for the last two years in the Renault series. “Christo” recently drove a Renault FR3.5 race car ran by Fortec and another prepared by Norwich-based Comtec Racing.

“I felt very comfortable in the F3 car after only a handful of laps,” reflected Riki. “It’s only a little more powerful than the Renault single-seater I’ve driven for the past two years but it feels like a ‘real’ racing car – with more aero and more grip with much quicker cornering speeds.

“I tested at Oulton Park and then at Snetterton. The car really suited my style of driving. With Formula Three I could race in the British championship or another option would be the Euro Series. The F3 category is the ‘stepping stone’ into Formula One – has been for over 30 years. Most past and present F1 drivers competed in F3 including Lewis Hamilton who won the 2005 Euro Series.

“But it’s extremely important at this stage in my career to weigh up all of the options and another alternative would be the World Series by Renault. These cars are much more powerful and feature paddle-shift gear changes, like a F1 car, and I tested for both Fortec and Comtec at Paul Ricard last week.

“I was very impressed with the Comtec team, they did a brilliant job for me, and I set the fastest time in the morning’s first session which was very encouraging as there were experienced World Series drivers present. The track was greasy to start with due to rain but dried out during the day.

“I was back with Fortec the following day but we encountered some technical issues which restricted my track time while the weather in the south of France had taken a turn for the worse although I topped the times when I was running in the wet, afternoon session, which was also very pleasing.

“I’ll be speaking to various teams between now and Christmas – I’m not going to rush into anything.”

“Christo” competes in the Johnny Herbert Karting Challenge in London on Sunday (23 Nov), an event set-up by the ex-Formula One driver and which raised almost £20,000 last year.

Category: News

Sutton Coldfield youngster set for bright future after completing only second year in single-seater motor racing

Riki “Christo” Christodoulou has claimed fifth place in the final standings of the Formula Renault UK Championship. The 20-year-old Sutton Coldfield youngster netted 10th and third places in the two, 24-lap races at Brands Hatch today (Sun 21 Sep) which brought the curtain down on this year’s 20-race series.

The 2008 season marked only Riki’s second full season of single-seater motor racing and although race action has finished, “Christo” will spend the coming weeks confirming next season’s plans having quickly established himself as one of Britain’s up and coming drivers.

In the opening Brands race, “Christo” uncharacteristically stalled his engine on the grid as the race started and eventually got away in 15th but had recovered to 10th place at the chequered flag. Riki, denied his second pole-position of the season by a scant one thousandth of a second, harried pole-sitter Dean Stoneman in the opening stages before slipping to third place six laps from home around the undulating 1.2-mile “Indy” circuit.

“The revs dropped at the start of race one and it stalled on me,” reflected Riki. “I managed to quickly restart the engine and the red mist came down for the rest of the race as I attempted to claw back as many places as possible.

“Going off the grid in race two, another car touched the rear of mine damaging the exhaust pipe, rear wing and possibly the suspension. From that moment on the car didn’t handle to my liking which restricted my pace. I could have defended second place strongly but it wasn’t worth spoiling his race – and possibly mine.

“I’ve now finished sixth and fifth in the Renault series over the past two years having switched from karts and ideally I should move up in to Formula Three next year. The last third of this season has been disappointing. I lay second in the championship in mid-July but then plain bad luck stepped in. People ran into me or a puncture would snatch away a top result.

“But nothing comes easy in life and you must keep working away – I put the last couple of months down to character building. I’ve achieved nine podiums finishes, including two wins, so I feel I’ve left my mark on the series this season.

“In the coming weeks I’ll be speaking to Formula Three teams, trying to organise tests, while at the same time attempt to organise sponsorship for 2009 to go with my Alpinestars and British Car Registrations backing.”

Brands Hatch (Indy) nr Fawkham, Kent. Rounds 19 & 20 (21 Sep)

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 7th (44.031s) Sunny/Dry. Race Result: 10th (Sunny/Dry).

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 2nd (44.072s) Sunny/Dry. Race Result: 3rd (Bright/Dry).

2008 Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship Final standings

1 A Christodoulou (GB), 472pts; 2 A Sims (GB) 449pts; 3 A Buzaid (Bra) 418pts; 4 D Stoneman (GB) 400pts; 5 R Christodoulou (GB), 374pts; (*unofficial). Driver only counts best 18 scores.

Category: News

Riki posts fifth place at Silverstone before a first lap collision ends Renault UK title dream.

Riki “Christo” Christodoulou heads for the final two races in the Formula Renault UK Championship next month (21 Sep) knowing he cannot win the title but determined to finish the 2008 season on a high note.

The 20-year-old Sutton Coldfield youngster now lies fifth in the 20-race series having posted fifth and 14th place finishes at Silverstone today (31 Aug). “Christo” trails series leader and cousin Adam Christodoulou by 92-points with only a maximum 68-points up for grabs.

Riki’s Alpinestars and British Car Registrations sponsored machine started the two 25-lap races from fifth and seventh places respectively on the 20-car grids today, “Christo” coming home fifth in race one – just 5.382secs behind the winner – but could only manage 14th place in his damaged Renault single-seater following an opening lap collision on the wet 1.64-mile Silverstone “National” circuit in the second race.

“My car appeared to lack of straight line speed although I did record the second fastest lap of the race in the opener staged in dry conditions,” confirmed Riki who is only in his second full season of car racing.

“It had been raining prior to the second race and my car felt really good on the formation lap but unfortunately there was a collision ahead of me at the first corner on the opening lap. Everyone braked in avoidance but unfortunately the car following hit me, puncturing my left rear tyre and damaging my rear wing.

“I pitted for a new wheel and rejoined in 18th place a lap down and just attempted to claw back as many places as possible. It’s so frustrating as I firmly believe that my car, in those slippery conditions, was capable of winning.”

The final two races are staged at Brands Hatch, “Christo” having won the opening race of the season at this venue in March.

“I’ve obviously got happy memories of Brands and my aim is to claim a top-three place in the championship’s final standings – I’m absolutely determined to finish the season on a high note.”

Silverstone (National Circuit) nr Towcester, N’thants. Rounds 17 & 18

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 5th (54.295s) Cloudy/Dry. Race Result: 5th (Foggy/Dry).

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 7th (55.077s) Bright/Dry. Race Result: 14th (Cloudy/Wet).

2008 Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship standings

1 A Christodoulou (GB), 430pts; 2 A Sims (GB) 396pts; 3 A Buzaid (Bra) 357pts; 4 D Stoneman (GB) 350pts; 5 R Christodoulou (GB), 338pts; (*unofficial). Driver counts best 18 scores at end of season.

Next races

Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent. Rds19 & 20 (21 Sep).

Category: News

• Two third positions and an 11th plus two Fastest Laps in latest races at Snetterton
• “Christo” cuts series lead almost in half and is now 28-points behind in title race

Riki “Christo” Christodoulou moved back in to second place in the Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship after claiming two thirds plus an 11th place in the latest races at Snetterton last weekend (12-13 Jul).

“Christo”, who celebrates his 20th birthday on Tuesday (15 Jul), began the weekend 50-points in arrears but now lies 28-points behind the series leader with six races remaining in the 20-race championship.

The postponed Croft race from six weeks ago was run at Snetterton on Saturday evening with Riki starting the 16-lap race from pole-position in his Alpinestars and British Car Registrations sponsored Fortec Motorsport machine. “Christo” was slightly slow away at the green light and was second at the first corner while an accident behind him brought out the Safety Car for the opening two laps. At the re-start, Riki dropped to third entering the first corner a position he then comfortably held to the chequered flag having also set the fastest lap – for the second consecutive race.

“I didn’t make the best of starts and then lost a place as the race went green again,” said Riki. “I just couldn’t close the gap to the two leaders and although it was disappointing to only finish third after starting from pole, another couple of points for the fastest lap combined with my cousin Adam, the championship leader, non-scoring after a first corner accident, helped me to dramatically reduce the points gap.”

“Christo” lined-up on the front row of 20-car grid for Sunday’s opening race – Riki deprived of his second “pole” of the season by just 0.19secs with a minute remaining in the time trials around the 1.95-mile Norfolk track – and went on to again post third place and fastest lap in the 18-lap race.

Riki commented: “I’m a little frustrated. The ‘sweet spot’, when I’m able to set fast lap times, is coming in too late into the race by which time I’m too far behind the leaders to close the gap significantly.”

“Christo” began race three from third place – knocked off the front row with just over a minute to run in qualifying and just 16pts behind cousin Adam in the title race. But Riki made a poor start, momentarily stalling the engine and was engulfed by almost the entire field, completing the opening lap in 18th place. He ultimately recovered to 11th place at the chequered flag.

“Stalling was a stupid mistake and I feel gutted – it’s the first and last time that will happen!” reflected “Christo”. “I felt sick watching almost the entire field pass me on the grid as I re-started the engine. I then just got my head down and clawed back as many places as possible.

“Although I’ve closed the gap in the championship, I’m massively disappointed not to have scored at least one win at Snetterton – I haven’t maximised the opportunity that I gave myself with good testing and grid positions. However, everything is still to play for in the title race and I’m doubly determined for some big scores next time out.”

Snetterton nr Thetford, Norfolk (Rds 10, 13 & 14):

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 1st (from Croft). Race Result: 3rd + Fastest Lap (Cloudy/Dry).

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 2nd (1min 4.736secs) Cloudy/Dry. Race Result: 3rd + Fastest Lap (Cloudy/Dry).

Race 3

Qualifying Pos: 3rd (1:4.763) Cloudy/Dry. Race Result: 11th (Cloudy/Dry).

2008 Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship standings

1 A Christodoulou (GB), 338pts; 2 R Christodoulou (GB), 310pts; 3 A Sims (GB) 309pts (*unofficial). Driver counts best 18 scores at end of season.

Next races

Oulton Park nr Tarporley, Cheshire. Rds15 & 16 (27 Jul).

Category: News

Fourth place finish on Silverstone début is followed by race two misery.

Riki “Christo” Christodoulou slipped one place to third in the Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship after a collision in the second race at Silverstone today (8 Jun).

“Christo”, 19, posted fourth place on his Silverstone race début but contact on the opening lap in race two with his Fortec Motorsport team-mate James Calado forced the Sutton Coldfield youngster to pit and ultimately took the chequered flag in 19th place.

Chistodoulou had only previously completed 150-miles of testing at the Northamptonshire venue, significantly none on the dauntingly fast 3.19-mile Grand Prix circuit which hosts the annual British GP next month. The qualifying format was also new to “Christo” as only one qualifying session, as opposed to the normal two, was run with a driver’s fastest and second best lap times setting grid positions for races one and two.

“My fastest qualifying lap was good enough for fourth on the grid as was my next best time,” reflected Riki. “Timing data showed I was outright fastest on two-thirds of the track but was only 15th quickest on the first part. I was losing time at Beckett’s corner which I needed to overcome.”

A race one start of 9am meant a 5.30am alarm call for “Christo” and despite slipping one place to fifth off the grid at the start of the 16-lap race, Riki moved up to fourth on lap 10 and was challenging for third at the chequered flag. He was actually the fastest car on the track in the closing stages – “Christo” setting his personal fastest lap on lap 12 – post-qualifying set-up changes to the car enabling Riki to finish strongly once the tyres had come up to optimum pressure and heat.

“I mucked up my start and got bogged down which lost me a place,” added Riki. “I went around the outside of Sims at Stowe Corner for fourth and was closing in on Calado for third and was also catching the leader but just ran out of time.” “Christo” took the chequered flag in fourth, 4.28secs behind winner Adriano Buzaid and just 0.348secs off third place.

Not running as a normal British Touring Car Championship support event, this weekend’s races were part of a Renault Word Series meeting with a bumper crowd of 60,000 in place for the late afternoon’s second race basking in the warm summer sunshine.

But contact with Calado on the opening lap at Stowe necessitated a pit-stop to change a punctured right rear tyre, “Christo” resuming at the tail of the field in 20th. He immediately set a scorching pace, setting a string of fastest race laps – including the outright quickest to earn a two-point bonus – on his way to 19th.

A dejected Riki said: “I’m absolutely gutted – this is tremendously disappointing and a big setback in my championship title aspirations. The collision was just one of those things. James jinked left to avoid Adam Christodoulou who had apparently slowed earlier than normal for that corner and unfortunately I was already in that space with the intention of going around the outside of the pair of them at Stowe.”

Christo will now definitely be aiming to earn himself an early birthday present when he heads for the next three races at Snetterton next month (13 July). Riki, who celebrates his 20th birthday on 15 July, must overcome memories from last year’s visit to the Norfolk track.

“Snetterton was a nightmare for me last season,” remembers Riki. “I was lying fourth in the first race before getting hit by another car which punctured my tyre. I led race two but was sandwiched by two cars which closed in on me causing steering damage. That was the only race weekend last year when I didn’t get a point and I certainly can’t afford a no score weekend this time around. Hopefully I can get off to a good start as organisers will run the postponed Croft race at Snetterton so that means I’ll start from pole-position in the first race.”

Silverstone (GP circuit) nr Towcester, Northants (Rounds 10 & 11 of 20)

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 4th (1min 46.618secs) Dry/Warm. Race Result: 4th (Dry/hazy sunshine).

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 4th (1:46.667) Dry/Warm. Race Result: 19th (Dry/sunshine).

2008 Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship standings

1 A Christodoulou (GB), 296pts; 2 A Buzaid (Bra), 252pts; 3 R Christodoulou (GB), 246pts. (*unofficial). Driver counts best 18 scores at end of season.

Next races

Snetterton nr Thetford, Norfolk (Rds 12, 13 & 14 of 20) on 13 Jul.

Category: News

• Chistodoulou loses ground slightly in title race despite sixth “podium”
• Pole sitter Riki left frustrated as atrocious weather causes cancellation of second race

Riki “Christo” Christodoulou claimed third place in the latest 2008 Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship race staged at Croft today (Sun 1 Jun). Christo remains second in the series but slipped to 20-points behind his championship leading cousin, Adam Christodoulou, after nine races. The day’s second race was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions – a cruel blow to the youngster.

The 19-year-old Sutton Coldfield driver lined-up his Alpinestars and British Car Registrations sponsored Renault single-seater in third place on the 20-car grid – the West Midlander denied a front row start by a scant one-thousandth of a second in the previous day’s (Saturday 31 May) qualifying session.

Riki ran third from green light to chequered flag in the 20-minute “timed” race on the 2.13-mile Co Durham track which began almost three hours late – finishing 1.4secs behind race winner Adam, who had started from “pole” and less than a second behind runner-up Alexander Sims who moves up to third place in the championship standings. Riki set the second fastest race lap.

“I was third on the grid, third into the first corner and third throughout the race to the chequered flag,” reflected Riki. “We raced on ‘dry’ slick tyres despite there being just a single dry line – the west of the track was damp or wet. I held the fastest lap for the majority of the race but ultimately missed out on the extra two points that brings when my team-mate just pipped me which was a little annoying.”

Having claimed his first pole-position of the season, Riki was understandably hugely disappointed that atrocious weather conditions earlier in the day caused massive delays in the raceday timetable necessitating the West Midlander’s second race to be cancelled.

Riki added: “I was very confident for race two starting from pole – I’m bitterly disappointed.”

Christo’s next two races are at Silverstone next weekend (8 Jun).

“Silverstone wasn’t on the Renault calendar last year which was my first season in car racing after karts, so I’ve never previously raced there but I’m definitely looking forward to it and am quietly confident,” concluded Christo.

Croft nr Darlington, Co Durham (Round 9)

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 3rd (1min 17.665secs) Dry/Sunny. Race Result: 3rd (Wet/cloudy).

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 1st (1:17.049) Dry/Sunny. Race Result: Cancelled

2008 Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship standings

1 A Christodoulou (GB), 240pts; 2 R Christodoulou (GB), 220pts; 3 A Sims (GB), 189pts. (*unofficial). Driver counts best 18 scores at end of season.

Next races

Silverstone (GP circuit) nr Towcester, Northants (Rds 10 & 11 of 20) on 7-8 Jun.

Category: News

• Strong second in race one earns “Christo” short-lived series runner-up spot
• Hard fought sixth place in damp race two after qualifying disappointment

Sutton Coldfield’s Riki “Christo” Christodoulou remains third in the 2008 Formula Renault UK Championship after posting second and sixth placings in the latest races today (Sun 4 May).

The West Midlands-born 19-year-old brought his Fortec Motorsport (Daventry) entered single-seater home 3.683secs and 10.534secs behind race winners Adriano Buzaid and Dean Stoneman in the two 16-lap races around the 1.96-mile Donington Park “National” track.

“Christo” started from third position on the 21-car grid for round 5 – having briefly held pole-position in Saturday’s 20-minute time trials – and grabbed second place at the first corner. Unable to make up ground on his pole-starting Fortec team-mate Buzaid, Riki drove a consistently fast, if “lonely” race in second place to the chequered flag, finishing a comfortable 4.546secs ahead of third-placed Kris Loane.

“I made a good start and picked up second place when a car spun out in front of me at the first corner”, reflected Riki. “I managed to reduce the gap to Adriano [Buzaid] a couple of times but he’d made a good start himself. So I just put my head down and concentrated on getting a good points haul with a comfortable second place.”

In the second race staged in damp conditions, Riki was forced to battle through from ninth on the grid after a fuel problem in the closing moments of qualifying in which he had again momentarily been on pole. Another flying start saw “Christo” complete the opening lap in sixth place after some breathtaking manoeuvres on the treacherously slippery track. With four laps to go, he was taking time out of fifth placed Jordan Oakes but on the next lap, Riki’s cousin Adam leapfrogged from seventh to fifth ahead of them both. Oakes appeared to dramatically slow heading into Coppice Corner and then cut back in front of Riki on the straight, an incident which damaged the nose section of “Christo’s” car. Riki ultimately finished just 0.991secs off fifth place and almost three seconds ahead of seventh placed Henry Surtees.

Riki added: “The track surface in race two was very greasy but I made another good start, going around the outside of a couple of cars, including Adam [Christodoulou], in the first couple of laps. I was taking time out of Oakes in fifth while at the same time pulling away from Adam. But Oakes then seemed to brake early a couple of times, I had the momentum exiting Coppice onto the straight but he just cut back across in front of me which damaged my car’s nose. Fifth would have been a descent result after the disappointment of qualifying ninth.

“Second place in the opening Donington race actually moved me up a place to second in the championship standings but I slipped back to third with the sixth in race two. I started the day in third, 38-points behind the championship leader and left Donington 34 behind.

“The next races are at Thruxton where last season I scored my first career Formula Renault race victory last October in my maiden single-seater season having switched from karts.”

Donington Park, Castle Donington, Derbys (Rds 5 & 6)

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 3rd (1m 5.887s) Dry/Sunny. Race Result: 2nd (Dry/Cloudy)

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 9th (1:6.277) Dry/Cloudy. Race Result: 6th (Damp/Cloudy)

Championship standings

1 A Christodoulou (GB), 169pts; 2 A Buzaid (BRA), 139; 3 R Christodoulou (GB), 135. (*unofficial)

Next races

Thruxton, Hants (Rds 7 & 8 of 20) on 17-18 May.

Category: News

Fortec Motorsport driver Riki Christodoulou picked up a third position in the second meeting of the 2008 Formula Renault UK with Michelin championship at Rockingham Motor Speedway last weekend. It was the second podium result in succession for the 19 year old former British Karting champion and means that the racer lies third in the fledgling standings after four races.

Despite admitting that he did not quite get his FR2.0 on the pace in order to challenge for the win at one of his favourite circuits, Christodoulou managed to qualify seventh and third for the two outings and retained the same rankings in the subsequent race classifications.

The changeable skies overhead did not soak the midlands venue across the two days of action. ‘Christo’ toyed with set-up through practice and felt an improvement in the second session where he was able to register a lap just over two-tenths of a second from the pole position effort.

Starting the first race the Sutton Coldfield based driver – in only his second season of single-seater competition – tried an ambitious move around the outside of the first turn but was held up and lost the several positions he gained, remaining in seventh. His second appearance on-track saw a straight run to third, although he did engage in some interesting action with Japanese Ryuji Yamamoto, and a second set of silverware that keeps him within 38 points of the series leader (a win counts for 32).

“We just missed a little something in the car today, or rather two of our rivals had that something extra and were able to take control,” said the BRDC ‘Superstar’ who won at Brands Hatch two weeks ago. “I wasn’t too happy with the first race but there wasn’t a lot I could do and my move on the first corner, that won me a few places, went wrong when the queue stacked up and I had to bring the car around. Yamamoto gave me a good race and made some decent moves in the second, so fair play to him. I’m pleased to get on the podium at least and we’ll do some work at Croft now before looking to Donington.”

Christodoulou next outing will be a test session at the Croft circuit with the third stop on the FR UK calendar taking place at Donington Park on May 4th.

Category: News

Fortec driver Riki Christodoulou launched only his second Formula Renault UK with Michelin championship in the best possible way with victory in the first of two races at Brands Hatch last weekend. The former British Junior Karting champion claimed his first chequered flag of 2008 at the opening round of ten in the series.

19 year old ‘Christo’, from Sutton Coldfield, took a decent start from second position on the grid and escaped from the pursuing pack to win by a comprehensive six seconds in damp and tricky conditions. The grey skies and intermittent rain over the weekend would determine the driver’s placement in the second race. Christo was unable to clock a rapid lap in the second qualification session on slick tyres before showers coated the Kent venue during Saturday. For the second outing he was stuck back in tenth spot. He made some good moves, including a bold late pass around the outside on the drop down Paddock Hill bend, to rise to seventh before the culmination of proceedings.

“It is awesome to start the season with a win,” he said. “I felt really confident and relaxed and it helped with this being my second year in the championship. I knew what to expect. I could just keep my head down and work on being consistent. The track here is not easy. The cars are so similar that even if you do get a run or some extra speed it is hard to use it to overtake.”

“The track was wet but drying out for the first race. When I saw Sims stall on the grid I knew I had a good chance to lead into the first corner and went for it; I think I had about 4 or 5 car lengths in the end. Once I had a small margin then I got my laps sorted. It was quite a boring race actually but thrilling to win,” added the driver who took seven podium results last season; his maiden term in single-seater racing.

“We had a hiccup in qualification when I came into the pits to change my tyres pressures and then it started to rain. I could only get one flying lap done before the session was a wash-out so I was stuck down in the middle of the grid. I was pleased with that pass through Paddock Hill and it actually had me smiling away to myself in my helmet.”

“We have a great little platform to build from here,” he concluded. “I’ve been on the top step now and it is very addictive!”

Riki was also pleased to hear that he will continue his association with British Car Registrations, who came onboard as a personal sponsor last season. The firm (www.britishcarregistrations.co.uk) will support the former European Karting FA vice-champion throughout 2008.

Round two of the Formula Renault UK championship – that runs concurrently with the British Touring Car series – will take place in two weeks (April 12th/13th) at Rockingham Motor Speedway. Highlights can be caught on ITV4.

Category: News

Fortec Formula Renault driver Riki Christodoulou will start his second season of single-seater racing this weekend at Brands Hatch with the first of ten rounds (twenty sprints) in the 2008 ‘FR with Michelin’ series that runs parallel to the British Touring Car Championship.

The 19 year old from Sutton Coldfield finished sixth in his first year away from the Kart circuit in 2007 (where he was Junior British Champion and European FA vice-champion) and won two races and grabbed seven podiums in an impressive debut term, learning a new car, new series and the dips, curves and nuances of Britain’s premier motorsport venues. In recognition of his development and promise Christodoulou was last week enrolled into the prestigious British Racing Driver’s Club ‘Superstar’s programme, which supports 14 of the country’s fastest and brightest competitive talents.

“It is a major honour to be chosen for this,” commented ‘Christo’ who was also part of the BRDC’s ‘Rising Stars’ scheme. “It basically means that we are taken under the wing of the BRDC and can use all the advice and facilities they have to offer to advance our careers. To be recognised as one of the top fourteen drivers in the country is a big bonus for what we are trying to do.”

Christo has been busy training and testing over the winter period with outings at Rockingham, Brands, Snetterton and Silverstone to clock up further mileage in the Alpinestars and Roman Originals-branded 2008 FR2.0 machine. The championship will involve trips to eight of the UK’s best race circuits; the first meeting will take place in the heart of Kent.

“This is my second year and it was only towards the end of last season that I really began to feel at home and like I could control races,” he remarked “so now I hope to apply all of what I have learnt and the confidence I have gained through some good results and decent lap-times to go for the championship; winning the title is my only goal.”

“We were not always right at the front during the winter tests but races are another matter and I’m happy with the set-up we have with the team. For some reason I have been on the pace but never taken the flag at Brands Hatch. Getting the season on a roll with a victory would be the perfect start.”

Formula Renault is widely regarded as the richest breeding ground for top racing drivers. F1 stars like current champion Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen are just some of the names to have sharpened their racecraft via the single-make championship.

The UK competition enjoys healthy media coverage and TV exposure through motorsport programming on Sky Sports and this year will be broadcast on ITV4. The World Series meeting at Donington Park last year drew over 130,000 spectators through the gate over the weekend.

Category: News