West Midlander Finishes Renault Championship on Podium

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.

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