Archive for 2009

• Riki now best-placed British driver in championship standings
• Win plus a fifth place moves “Christo” up three places to fourth

Sutton Coldfield’s Riki Christodoulou scored his maiden Formula Three victory at Snetterton today (5 Jul) and is now the best placed British driver at the halfway stage in this year’s Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series.

“Christo”, having recorded fifth place in the opening 29-lap race, swept his Alpinestars and British Car Registrations sponsored Dallara-Mercedes to a dominant victory in the second event, rounds nine and 10 respectively at Snetterton in Norfolk to move up to fourth place in the standings in the 20-race series.

Riki lined-up third on the 20-car grid for race two, a mere 0.086secs off pole-position, but had blasted in to the lead by lap three, controlling the race thereafter.

“I made good start and was second on the opening lap and then my momentum out of the last corner at the completion on lap three allowed me to get in to the lead,” commented the 20-year-old who only moved up to Formula Three this year after two seasons in Formula Renault.

“Once in the lead I was able to totally control the race. I had no problems apart from a couple of backmarkers who got in my way in the closing stages.

“After a couple of indifferent results following a good start to my debut F3 season, this bangs home that I mean business and that I’m capable of winning at this level. My thanks after this landmark victory for me must go to Fortec, for providing me with a great racecar in the Dallara Mercedes, and of course my family who have given me great support.

“Having got this win under my belt my aim is to keep the momentum going for the second half of the season.”

Snetterton nr Thetford, Norfolk, Rounds 9 & 10

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 6th (1min 2.226s) Dry/Sunny. Race Result: 5th (Dry/cloudy).

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 3rd (1m 2.184s) Dry/Sunny. Race Result: 1st (Dry/cloudy).

2009 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series

1 Ricciardo (AUS) 119 points; 2 Grubmuller (A) 96; 3 van der Zande (NL) 84; 4 Christodoulou (GB) 81; 5 Tandy (GB) 68; 6 Ericsson (Sw) 65. (Provisional standings).

Next races

Donington Park nr Derby, Rds 11 & 12 (19 July) – “National” circuit.

Category: News

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).

Category: News

• West Midlander endures highs and lows in qualifying and races
• Riki vows to bounce back in Germany next weekend

Riki Christodoulou slipped two places to fifth in the 2009 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series after a sixth place finish in round five before being excluded in the second race at Rockingham today (31 May).

“Christo”, from Sutton Coldfield, heads for the next rounds of the 20-race single-seater category in Germany on Wednesday (3 Jun) now lying 31-points behind series leader Daniel Ricciardo after today’s 30-minute races around the 1.940-mile Rockingham Motor Speedway track near Corby.

The 20-year-old Fortec Motorsport driver had endured contrasting fortunes in the previous day’s two, 30-minute qualifying sessions to line-up his Alpinestars and British Car Registrations sponsored Dallara-Mercedes in eighth and second positions on the 21-car grids – his worst and best qualifying positions respectively of his maiden F3 season – and only denied pole-position by a scant 0.072secs.

“Christo” recorded sixth place in the opening 25-lap race – his fifth consecutive top-six finish from the opening five races – but overtook the pole-starting Marcus Ericsson in to the first corner and completed the opening lap of the second race in the lead before the Safety Car appeared following an accident.

But race officials then deemed Christodoulou had been in the incorrect position on the grid at the start and instructed him to serve a drive-through penalty. The Sutton Coldfield youngster continued to lead for the opening 12-laps as the Fortec team pleaded its case to officials.

Riki duly drove through the pit-lane at regulation speed on the completion of lap 12 and resumed in 11th place but officials immediately excluded him due to the delay in “Christo” serving the penalty.

“I’m hugely disappointed,” reflected Riki. “I had accidentally stopped the car slightly over the white line on the grid after completing the warm-up lap. I tried to reverse but couldn’t get it into gear. The red lights then came on so I knew the race was about to start and then lights went to green so I had to go.

“I got into the lead at the first corner and was pulling away on lap two when the Safety Car came out. My team was talking to race officials as I continued to lead the race. I received the black flag after I’d rejoined the race because it was deemed I should have served my penalty earlier. I must now refocus and do the business by bouncing back after this setback and produce two good points hauls next weekend in Germany.

“I’ve never raced at Hockenheim and only attended the track for the first time earlier this month to watch a DTM event. While it’s obviously my first Formula Three race in Germany, I won my first ever Formula Renault race in Germany at Oschersleben in 2007 having won kart races over there too earlier in my career.”

Next weekend’s two, 30-minute races are staged on Saturday (6 Jun) and Sunday (7 Jun).

Rockingham Motor Speedway nr Corby, Northamptonshire. Rounds 5 & 6

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 8th (1min 12.770secs) Dry/Sunny. Race Result: 6th (Dry/Sunny).

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 2nd (1m 12.515s) Dry/Sunny. Race Result: Excluded (Dry/Sunny).

2009 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series

1 D. Ricciardo (Aus) 76points; 2 N. Tandy (GB) 61; 3 Nakajima (JAP) 56; 4 M. Chilton (GB) 46; 5 R. Christodoulou (GB) 45; 6 Grubmuller 42. (Provisional standings).

Next races

Hockenheim nr Mannheim, Germany Rds 7 & 8 (6 & 7 Jun).

Category: News

West Midlander moves up to third after finishing fourth and second at Silverstone.

Riki “Christo” Christodoulou posted his first ever podium result in the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series at Silverstone today (SUN) and now lies third in the prestigious single-seater championship.

Starting the third and fourth rounds of the 20-race series from fifth and third places respectively on the 19-car grids, the 20-year-old from Sutton Coldfield claimed fourth and second positions in the two, 18-lap races.

“Christo” made a tardy start in the opening race slipping to sixth but had recovered back up to fifth on the completion of the opening lap and moved up to fourth on the third lap. Despite intense pressure from series leader Daniel Ricciardo for almost the entire 30-minute race duration, Riki took a fine fourth – just 4.283secs behind race winner Renger van der Zande (NED).

Riki said: “I was a little slow away again off the grid but had reclaimed the two places I’d lost before the end of the opening lap. The problem was that my tyres deteriorated very quickly and so I was struggling for grip from very early in the race.”

“Christo” started from third place in race two – the West Midlander’s best F3 qualifying position – but lost a place off the grid to lie fourth. The top-four cars were covered by 0.4secs at mid-distance but Riki moved up to third place on the 13th lap then in to second place two laps from the chequered flag, “Christo” bringing his Alpinestars/British Car Auctions Dallara-Mercedes home 1.963secs behind race winner Ricciardo.

Riki added: “I overtook van der Zande under braking then lunged down inside of Max [Chilton]. If the race had been a couple of laps longer I’d have been on the tail of Daniel [Ricciardo]. I’m obviously delighted with these two results which moves me up to third in the series. The race pace is there, as the last race especially showed but rest assured, I’ll be working on my race starts before the next races at Rockingham later this month.

“It’s entirely appropriate on my first F3 podium for me thank my father [Rick] for the support he’s given me to date in my career and also Fortec Motorsport, the team I’ve been with since I came into single-seater racing just three seasons ago.”

Silverstone (International Circuit) nr Towcester, N’thants. Rounds 3 & 4

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 5th (1m 39.929s) Sunny/dry. Race Result: 4th (Cloudy/dry).

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 3rd (1:39.940) Cloudy/dry. Race Result: 2nd (Cloudy/dry).

2009 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series

1 D. Ricciardo (Aus) 68pts, 2 N. Tandy (GB) 40pts, 3. R. Christodoulou (GB) 39pts, 4. T. Chilton (GB) 37pts, 5. W. Grubmuller (A) 36pts, 6. D. Nakajima (Jap) 34pts. (Provisional standings).

Next races

Rockingham Motor Speedway nr Corby, Northamptonshire. Rds 5 & 6 (31 May).

Category: News

Sutton Coldfield youngster lies fifth in title hunt after Easter races at Oulton Park.

Sutton Coldfield’s Riki Christodoulou lies fifth in the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series after finishing fifth and sixth on his category début at Oulton Park today (Mon 13 Apr).

The 20-year-old West Midlander finished 17.190secs behind race one winner Daniel Ricciardo after 20-laps around the undulating 2.692-mile “International” track in Cheshire having started from sixth place on the 19-car grid.

“Christo” lined-up his Alpinestars sponsored Dallara Mercedes in third place for race two but a slow getaway saw Riki slip to sixth on the opening lap, a position he comfortably retained to the chequered flag – 16.721secs behind race winner Ricciardo – in a race shortened to 16-laps after an opening lap accident caused it to be stopped.

“I’m both pleased and disappointed,” reflected Riki. “Claiming two top-sixes on my F3 début is okay but they could have both been podiums. I got stuck behind Daisuke Nakajima in race one. I had the faster car, tried to overtake six or seven times, but just couldn’t find a way past cleanly – these cars are so ‘aero’ sensitive.

“I was third in the second race when it was red-flagged due to an accident on the opening lap. At the re-start, I got bogged down with too much wheelspin so found myself down in sixth. Once again I was behind the Japanese driver and the same scenario occurred throughout the race. I just had to stay cool – it was important to claim points and not do anything silly.

“I’ll learn from the experience in these two races and put things right for the next races at Silverstone next month.”

Oulton Park (International Circuit) nr Tarporley, Cheshire. Rounds 1 & 2

Race 1

Qualifying Pos: 6th (1:28.309) Bright/Dry. Race Result: 5th (Overcast/Dry).

Race 2

Qualifying Pos: 3rd (1:28.354) Bright/Dry. Race Result: 6th (Bright/Dry).

2009 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series

1 D. Ricciardo (Aus) 40pts, 2= N. Tandy (GB) & W. Grubmuller (A) 28pts, 4. D. Nakajima (Jap) 18pts, 5. R. Christodoulou (GB) 14pts, 6. A. Buzaid (Bra) 10pts.

Next races

Silverstone (International), Northamptonshire. Rds3 & 4 (2 May).

Category: News

Riki “Christo” Christodoulou has vowed to graduate up the motor racing ladder despite the economic downturn.

The Sutton Coldfield youngster is working hard towards progressing in to either the Formula Three or World Series by Renault FR3.5 category after two seasons in Formula Renault UK.

“I only had about three days off over Christmas and the New Year,” confirmed Riki. “I’ve been writing and circulating sponsorship proposals, setting up and having meetings – it has been non-stop but that’s the way it has to be – especially in today’s financial climate.

“Funding is obviously harder to come by with many companies cutting back, especially when it comes to sports sponsorship, but all I can do is to remain totally focused and continue to work hard so that it enables me to move on.”

“Christo” took time out to contest the BP Ultimate Celebrity Karting Challenge at the recent Autosport International Show staged at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham (9 Jan).

Riki, who finished sixth – his first full season of racing a single-seater – in the 2007 Formula Renault UK series and fifth last year, was a member of a five-man team that proved victorious in the two-hour race.

A host of internationally acclaimed drivers were competing including record eight-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Tom Kristensen plus multi-Le Mans winners Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela but Riki, aged 20, underlined his potential to beat the ultra-experienced international drivers.
Riki “Christo” Christodoulou has vowed to graduate up the motor racing ladder despite the economic downturn.

The Sutton Coldfield youngster is working hard towards progressing in to either the Formula Three or World Series by Renault FR3.5 category after two seasons in Formula Renault UK.

“I only had about three days off over Christmas and the New Year,” confirmed Riki. “I’ve been writing and circulating sponsorship proposals, setting up and having meetings – it has been non-stop but that’s the way it has to be – especially in today’s financial climate.

“Funding is obviously harder to come by with many companies cutting back, especially when it comes to sports sponsorship, but all I can do is to remain totally focused and continue to work hard so that it enables me to move on.”

“Christo” took time out to contest the BP Ultimate Celebrity Karting Challenge at the recent Autosport International Show staged at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham (9 Jan).

Riki, who finished sixth – his first full season of racing a single-seater – in the 2007 Formula Renault UK series and fifth last year, was a member of a five-man team that proved victorious in the two-hour race.

A host of internationally acclaimed drivers were competing including record eight-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Tom Kristensen plus multi-Le Mans winners Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela but Riki, aged 20, underlined his potential to beat the ultra-experienced international drivers.

“We won the kart event by two laps and thoroughly enjoyed it – especially racing against established the stars-studded line-up,” reflected Riki who had worldwide success during his 10-year karting career.

“Although the race was for charity, any motor racing driver will tell you that whatever the event, the competitive nature kicks in and there is only one position everyone is aiming for. I enjoyed a lot of success in karts and it was great to have a blast in one again.”

Riki now refocuses on the forthcoming 2009 season which roars in to action in April or May depending on the championship he ultimately contests.

“Ideally I want to get everything agreed early next month – that way I can concentrate on the year ahead,” he concluded.

“We won the kart event by two laps and thoroughly enjoyed it – especially racing against established the stars-studded line-up,” reflected Riki who had worldwide success during his 10-year karting career.

“Although the race was for charity, any motor racing driver will tell you that whatever the event, the competitive nature kicks in and there is only one position everyone is aiming for. I enjoyed a lot of success in karts and it was great to have a blast in one again.”

Riki now refocuses on the forthcoming 2009 season which roars in to action in April or May depending on the championship he ultimately contests.

“Ideally I want to get everything agreed early next month – that way I can concentrate on the year ahead,” he concluded.

Category: News