Christo Sets Sights on Title Race Kickstart at Snetterton
7th Jun 2009
Riki Christodoulou aims to regain a top-three place in the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series standings when the 20-race series reaches its mid-season mark next month.
The Sutton Coldfield youngster is targeting a return to title contention after enduring mixed fortunes in the latest two races at Hockenheim this weekend (6-7 June).
Having qualified ninth and seventh for the two 30-minute races staged on the 2.84-mile German track, Riki was involved in an opening lap accident in race one on Saturday before recording fifth place – and the highest-placed Briton – in today’s (7 June) race.
“It was the first time I’ve ever raced at Hockenheim – a very technical circuit – and it’s fair to say that both the team [Fortec Motorsport], who had not raced there for a number of years, and I struggled to get the true potential out of the Dallara-Mercedes,” confirmed the West Midlander.
“Qualifying was a steep learning curve for those reasons but race one ended after Daisuke Nakajima and I made contact going into the tight hairpin which launched me in to the air before landing heavily on top of the car of Robert Wickens who thankfully was uninjured.
“I was okay too but it left the Fortec team a lot of rebuilding work to do overnight which was annoying for me – those guys could have done without that additional work. Today’s race began on a damp track after earlier heavy rain with just a single dry line but everyone started on slick, dry weather tyres.
“I made the best start of the year and was up to third before getting tagged up the rear at the first corner which spun me around. I resumed in 15th after restarting the engine but was up to 10th at the end of a bizarre opening lap and ultimately claimed fifth – not the greatest result but taking in to account everything that had gone on this weekend, it was another eight points.”
Christodoulou heads directly from Hockenheim to Zandvoort, a coastal track near Amsterdam, for the “Masters” race next Sunday (14 June) – previous winners including David Coulthard and Lewis Hamilton – prior to the next rounds of the British series at Snetterton early next month (5 July).
Riki added: “The Zandvoort race will be good experience for me. It’s another track that I’ve not raced at previously. Then it’s back to concentrating on the British series and getting right back in to title contention. The Snetterton track is one of my favourites and I set the fastest time in F3 testing there over the winter. I’m currently 15-points off third place in the championship standings and my goal after the two Snetterton races is to be back in the top-three.”
Hockenheim nr Mannheim, Germany: Rounds 7 & 8
Race 1
Qualifying Pos: 9th (1min 33.796s) Dry/cloudy. Race Result: Retired (Dry/cloudy).
Race 2
Qualifying Pos: 7th (1:35.219) Damp/cloudy. Race Result: 5th (Dry/cloudy).
2009 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series*: 1 Ricciardo (AUS) 89 points; 2 Grubmuller (A) 74; 3 Tandy (GB) 68; 4 Ericsson (Sw) 65; 5 Nakajima (JAP) 57; 6 Chilton (GB) 54; 7= van der Zande (NL) & Christodoulou (GB) 53. (Provisional standings).
Next races: Zandvoort Masters, Netherlands (14 June) – non championship. Snetterton nr Thetford, Norfolk Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series Rds 9 & 10 (5 July).
About Riki Christo
Riki Christodoulou has been racing as long as he can remember. Through karts, Formula Renault and now in the British Formula 3 International series. Riki continues to compete in top flight motorsport as one of the UK’s most promising young racing car drivers.
