Archive for 2010
Sutton Coldfield driver wins final race of the year at Brands Hatch.
Riki Christodoulou brought the curtain down on his fragmented Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship in perfect style when the Sutton Coldfield youngster won the final race at Brands Hatch yesterday (Sunday 10 Oct).
“Christo” qualified in pole-position for the 24-lap race, his first No.1 start position since July 2008, and led every lap to achieve his first race victory since July last year, achieved in the British Formula Three Championship.
Riki led home Fortec Motorsport team-mate Tom Blomqvist by 0.732secs around the 1.2-mile “Indy” circuit having finished seventh in the first race earlier in the day – just 7.774secs behind the race winner.
“To start from ‘pole’ and win my final race of the season is the perfect way to end what has been a very difficult and frustrating season,” confirmed Riki.
“I made a perfect start in the second race to lead from the green light and stayed out front all race. In the earlier race I had got up to sixth place but ran wide at Paddock which cost me a place. But the last race of the year is what people will remember and I won it!”
Riki’s diluted season with Daventry-based Fortec Motorsport began in August. The West Midlander netted eight top-10 finishes from 11 race starts – including four podium finishes.
“2010 has been one of the hardest years in my racing career due to the lack of funding,” continued Riki. “I need to progress up the motorsport ‘ladder’ but was forced to sit out nine moths keeping me sidelined from testing and racing.
“I got the opportunity to race in Formula Renault again in the summer. I was pleased but it wasn’t ideal but I had nothing else so I had to grasp the opportunity, to keep my foot in and show what I can do.
“Each race has been a massive struggle having to learn the new car and forget everything I did in the more powerful and aerodynamic Formula 3 car last year but my performances became stronger and improved.
“In that respect I’m happy I made the bold decision to step back down to the Renault series with Fortec in August but now I’m faced with the same problem as last year, trying to find the money so I can keep racing.
“Ideally I want to compete in the Renault World Series next year but again it all depends on finding the necessary budget. I’m not ready to give up my dream of reaching Formula One.”
Brands Hatch nr Fawkham, Kent (Rds 19 & 20)
Race 1: Qualifying: 7th (43.844secs). Misty/Dry. Race Result: 7th (Dry/bright).
Race 2: Qualifying: 1st (43.510s). Misty/Dry. Race Result: 1st (Dry/sunny).
Series Background: Formula Renault UK is regarded as one of the world’s foremost junior single-seater categories. Single-seater racing cars, utilising “slick” treadless tyres, powered by 2-litre, four-cylinder Renault engine (0-100mph 4.85secs).
RIKI TARGETS RACE VICTORY AT BRANDS HATCH FINALE
20th Sep 2010
Riki Christodoulou, from Sutton Coldfield, is targeting a victory in the season closing races of the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship at Brands Hatch next month (10 Oct) after scoring two fine podium finishes in the latest rounds yesterday (19 Sep).
The 22-year-old started his Fortec Motorsport prepared car from third and fourth places on the 22-car grids in the two races around the 3.67-mile “Grand Prix” track and went on to record a third place “double” in the 12 and 13-lap races – “Christo” a mere 1.356secs behind the winner in the second race.
“I started Race 2 from fourth on the grid but got great drive off line and was challenging for second place at the first corner,” reflected “Christo”.
“I had to back out of that manoeuvre but pressurized the third-placed guy in to making a mistake in the new Arena section later on around the first lap which earned me third place.
“The two cars ahead had broken away but I put my head down and had reeled them both in by the last lap. I went for a move on my Fortec team-mate for second place but wasn’t able to make it stick – one more lap and things could have been a lot different because I had more pace than the two guys ahead.”
“In the opening race my car suffered from a handling imbalance and I had to defend my third place pretty aggressively but the Fortec guys did a brilliant job in transforming the car for the later race.”
Riki’s season, which only began three months ago after lack of finance quashed his hopes of graduating up the motor racing ladder, comes to a close at Brands – the west Midlander having posted six top-10 finishes – including three podiums – in the nine races he has started.
“I now feel very comfortable back in the Renault car,” commented Riki who also finished third in a charity karting event recently at Daytona Milton Keynes after a marathon 50min driving “stint”.
“I’m setting myself a target of winning one of the two races. I claimed second and third positions the last time I raced down there 12 months ago when my maiden season in Formula Three finished. I feel very optimistic and it would be a great way to thank Fortec and my sponsor Alpinestars for standing by me.”
“CHRISTO” RETURNS TO PODIUM ON SCOTTISH RACE DÉBUT
5th Sep 2010
Sutton Coldfield’s Riki Christodoulou claimed a superb rostrum finish in his first-ever race at the Knockhill circuit near Dunfermline in Scotland today (5 Sep).
In only his seventh race of the year since returning to the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship in mid-June, “Christo” claimed third place in the opening 24-lap race around the 1.2713 mile circuit.
Alpinestars supported Riki, who had started the race from third position on the 16-car grid, finished just 5.24secs behind the winner.
“Christo” started his Fortec Motorsport car from eighth place in the second race, slipped a place just after mid-distance but dropped five places to 14th after being barged off the track.
“I ran third throughout the opening race and it was great to step on to the podium again especially as it was the first time I’d ever raced at the Scottish venue,” reflected Riki.
“I just couldn’t find a rhythm for race two qualifying and if you don’t start from the front two rows of the grid, a podium result is almost impossible to achieve. Starting down in eighth place I was always going to have my work cut out.
“There were a couple of Safety Car periods after on-track incidents with the final one leaving a one-lap ‘sprint’ to the chequered flag. I overtook two cars going in to Turn 1 as the race re-started but was then forced wide in to the gravel trap at Turn 3 by some unnecessarily forceful driving which ruined my race. It was very unfortunate and disappointing as the same driver did the same thing into Turn 1 earlier in the race.
“Stepping back down in to a category I contested in 2007 & ’08 after last year in Formula Three, which requires a completely different driving style, was always going to be difficult. But I’m out on track, getting sharper with every race after missing half the year.
“I achieved fourth place and set the race’s fastest lap the last time I raced a Renault on the Silverstone GP track in ’08 so I’m really looking forward to these next races.”
Knockhill circuit, 4-5 September (Rds 15 & 16) Race 1: Qualifying: 3rd (48.288s). Sunny/dry. Race Result: 3rd (Sunny/dry). Race 2: Qualifying: 8th (48.604s). Cloudy/dry. Race Result: 14th (Cloudy/dry).
Sutton Coldfield’s Riki Christodoulou took away a number of positives despite enduring a frustrating time in the latest Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship races yesterday (22 August).
Having claimed an excellent fourth place on the 18-car grid for the opening race, Riki’s race ended on the opening lap – effectively finishing his day’s racing activities.
“I had made a great start and was up to third exiting the first corner but at [Brooklands] corner I moved in to the centre of the track to defend my place,” reflected Riki.
“The track was wet although everyone started on slick, dry weather tyres. The car got out of shape – I don’t know whether I was touched but I did a 180 degree spin and ended up stationary and facing the remainder of the field.
“Unfortunately I was hit by another car damaging various components which put me out on the spot. Unfortunately Renault UK, somewhat surprisingly, didn’t have some of the spare parts required which effectively cost me starting race two later in the day. This was an extremely disappointing situation to find myself in and I was unhappy to say the least about missing out in this way.”
“Christo”, having only his second race meeting of the year with Daventry-based Fortec Motorsport, now looks ahead to the next two races in Scotland early next month.
Riki added: “Despite being massively frustrated, I can take away a lot of positives from Silverstone. I’m eagerly looking forward to the races at Knockhill.
“I felt a lot more comfortable behind the wheel of the Formula Renault car compared to Snetterton two weeks ago. The championship hasn’t run at Knockhill for a couple of years so the next two races will be interesting with only a couple of drivers having previous Knockhill experience. I’m sure I’ll be on the pace despite it being a totally new track for me although I’m hoping to get up there before the race weekend to learn to track.”
Sutton Coldfield’s Riki Christodoulou is adopting a “gently gently” approach to his return the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship.
“Christo” placed ninth in the latest race at Snetterton yesterday (8 Aug) after mechanical issues had sidelined the West Midlander in the opening race at the Norfolk venue.
Riki contests the final 10 races of the Renault series with Daventry-based Fortec Motorsport, “Christo” stepping down to the category he contested in 2007 and ’08.
Last weekend’s races underlined the degree “Christo” must readapt to the less powerful, less aerodynamic efficient single-seaters compared to the Formula Three machine he steered to fifth place in the 2009 British Formula Three Championship.
“I’ll be targeting top-five finishes at Silverstone in two weeks time [22 Aug],” confirmed Riki. “Obviously I want to go out and get podium finishes but I must be realistic in that I haven’t raced regularly since last October and more importantly, not in this type of car for 18 months.
“Having learned a huge amount in terms of driving an F3 car last year, a car which develops well over twice the amount of aero downforce as a Formula Renault, I must now forget almost everything from last season and go back to how I drove in ’07 and ’08.”
Lining up in 11th place on the 16-car grid for both 18-lap races. “Christo” encountered clutch issues at the start of the first race then a mechanical problem necessitating a pit-stop four laps from the finish.
In the second race, Alpinestars supported Riki finished ninth, 16.8secs behind the winner in the 20min, 35-mile race.
Riki, who was thwarted from moving up the motor racing ladder this year due to the poor economic climate, concluded: “The last time I raced at Snetterton was 13 months ago when I scored my maiden F3 race victory. Fortec gradually improved my car from testing on Friday, in qualifying on Saturday and in to Sunday’s races.
“I’ll be spending the next two weeks studying data and watching videos to remind myself how to drive a Formula Renault car again. I have lost none of my skill – I achieved 14 top-three podium finishes in Renault – it’s just a case of turning the clock back in terms of my driving style and so long as the car is competitive I’ll be on the pace.”
Snetterton nr Thetford, Norfolk (Rds 11 & 12): Race 1: Qualifying: 11th (1m 6.336s). Race Result: Not classified (Bright/Dry). Race 2: Qualifying: 11th (1m 5.269s). Race Result: 9th (Sunny/Dry).
Sutton Coldfield’s Riki Christodoulou will complete the remainder of the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship beginning with the forthcoming two races at Snetterton in Norfolk next weekend (7-8 Aug).
“Christo” made a two-race appearance in the category he contested with Fortec Motorsport in 2007 & ’08 last month and will now complete the season with Daventry-based Fortec who the talented Midlander also raced with in last year’s British Formula Three Championship.
“Fortec Motorsport has come up with a good deal enabling me to return to racing full time again so I’ve grasped the opportunity with both hands,” confirmed Riki who will once again be supported by Alpinestars.
“I need to be out racing regularly. Although it’s not an ideal scenario stepping down to the Renault series having graduated to Formula Three last year, it’s a case of needs must. This will get me race sharp again and is a fantastic chance for me to get stuck in and claim some good results for myself and Fortec.
”I’d been given the opportunity to get back in to a race car at Croft with CRS last month and I’d like to thank them for that outing. After a nine month break out of the cockpit with no testing or racing it was good to get back in the heat of the action again. It was a great one-off opportunity for me but at the time I was not planning on completing the rest of the Renault season. But I guess it whetted my appetite.”
Riki added: “I know Snetterton very well and claimed a pole, a couple of podiums and two fastest laps the last time I raced a Formula Renault there so I’m really looking forward to heading back to Norfolk. There are five race weekends left so I intend to make the most of this chance Fortec has very kndly given me.”
Richard Dutton, Team Owner & Director of Fortec Motorsport, commented: ”We’re really pleased to have Riki back in our team. Were also very pleased that we have managed to find a sponsor for him to enable him to get back in a car which is where he needs to be as he is a huge talent. Russell Spence from Spence Refit has been a long time supporter of Fortec Motorsport.”
Having carved out a successful career in karting championships throughout Europe, “Christo” finished fifth and sixth in the 2006 & ’07 Formula Renault UK Championships respectively.
Last year, Riki netted fifth in the British F3 standings and the “Top Rookie” Award at his first attempt in the single-seater category. However, the economic climate had a detrimental effect on his aspirations of progressing up to the Formula Renault World Series this year resulting in just two FRUK outings (19-20 Jun) in which he achieved two top-10 placings despite it being his first back in a Formula Renault cockpit since September 2008.
“Christo” achieved 14 top-three podiums placings in the two years that he had in the category including three race wins. The Formula Renault single-seater is powered by a two-litre engine producing 210bhp.
Formula Renault UK (remaining races)
7/8 August Snetterton Rds 11&12
21/22 August Silverstone National Rds 13&14
4/5 September Knockhill Rounds Rds 15&16
18/19 Sept Silverstone GP Rds 17&18
9/10 October Brands Hatch Indy Rds 19&20
Sutton Coldfield’s Riki Christodoulou will complete the remainder of the 2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship beginning with the forthcoming two races at Snetterton in Norfolk next weekend (7-8 Aug).
“Christo” made a two-race appearance in the category he contested with Fortec Motorsport in 2007 & ’08 last month and will now complete the season with Daventry-based Fortec who the talented Midlander also raced with in last year’s British Formula Three Championship.
“Fortec Motorsport has come up with a good deal enabling me to return to racing full time again so I’ve grasped the opportunity with both hands,” confirmed Riki who will once again be supported by Alpinestars.
“I need to be out racing regularly. Although it’s not an ideal scenario stepping down to the Renault series having graduated to Formula Three last year, it’s a case of needs must. This will get me race sharp again and is a fantastic chance for me to get stuck in and claim some good results for myself and Fortec.
”I’d been given the opportunity to get back in to a race car at Croft with CRS last month and I’d like to thank them for that outing. After a nine month break out of the cockpit with no testing or racing it was good to get back in the heat of the action again. It was a great one-off opportunity for me but at the time I was not planning on completing the rest of the Renault season. But I guess it whetted my appetite.”
Riki added: “I know Snetterton very well and claimed a pole, a couple of podiums and two fastest laps the last time I raced a Formula Renault there so I’m really looking forward to heading back to Norfolk. There are five race weekends left so I intend to make the most of this chance Fortec has very kindly given me.”
Richard Dutton, Team Owner & Director of Fortec Motorsport, commented: ”We’re really pleased to have Riki back in our team. Were also very pleased that we have managed to find a sponsor for him to enable him to get back in a car which is where he needs to be as he is a huge talent. Russell Spence from Spence Refit has been a long time supporter of Fortec Motorsport.”
Having carved out a successful career in karting championships throughout Europe, “Christo” finished fifth and sixth in the 2006 & ’07 Formula Renault UK Championships respectively. Last year, Riki netted fifth in the British F3 standings and the “Top Rookie” Award at his first attempt in the single-seater category.
However, the economic climate had a detrimental effect on his aspirations of progressing up to the Formula Renault World Series this year resulting in just two FRUK outings (19-20 Jun) in which he achieved two top-10 placings despite it being his first back in a Formula Renault cockpit since September 2008.
“Christo” achieved 14 top-three podiums placings in the two years that he had in the category including three race wins. The Formula Renault single-seater is powered by a two-litre engine producing 210bhp.
Sutton Coldfield’s Riki Christodoulou won a Bentley organised Charity kart race at the Daytona Milton Keynes track on Saturday (20 March).
Riki, 21, set the fastest time in qualifying – by over six seconds – and with the help of cousin, Adam, and fellow racer James Calado amongst the six-driver “Jack Barclay’s Bentley Boys” team comfortably took the honours by three laps in the three-hour race.
“We had to make 11 pit stops and were given warnings and black flags to try and slow us down in an attempt to make it more of a race but it didn’t stop us winning,” added “Christo”.
“I won a cool trophy for the fastest lap of the day – a piston and other parts from the engine of a Bentley. All I want now is a drive for 2010 to go with it!”
The West Midlander, who finished fifth in his maiden British Formula Three Championship season and won the “Rookie Award” last year, won a Racing4 Charity kart race at Birmingham’s NEC in January.
Sutton Coldfield’s Riki Christodoulou took time out last weekend (27 Feb) from his desperate search for funding by contesting his second charity kart race in the space of six weeks.
The 21-year-old West Midlander who finished fifth in his maiden British Formula Three Championship season and won the “Rookie Award” last year claimed second place in the inaugural Race for Heroes Charity Kart Race.
“Christo” and his fellow “Loose Cannons” team-mates started the Six Hour race staged at the Daytona Milton Keynes track on the crest of a wave having won a 77-lap charity race at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (15 Jan).
“I finished 11 seconds behind the winner so was a little cheesed off we didn’t win again because I hate losing but had to remind myself it was for charity ,” reflected Riki.
“I went out for the last ‘stint’ on a wet track and was consistently lapping almost two seconds a lap faster than anyone. I led and pulled away but had to make a pit-stop and then picked up a penalty for an innocuous collision with another kart despite realising my mistake and allowing the guy back past me. My last stint lasted two hours and it was so annoying to just come up short.”.
Seventeen karts took part in the race which ended in complete darkness with Riki sharing his machine with four other drivers. Actors from British television programme, Dirty Sanchez, plus members of The Enemy, a rock band formed in Coventry, also raced.
Meanwhile Riki returns this week to the slow but vital prospect of finding the necessary finances to allow him to compete in 2010.
“It’s not going as planned otherwise I would have signed for a team and begun testing,” confirmed “Christo”. “Were in negotiations with a number of teams concerning various championship options but are unable to put pen to paper because we haven’t the required budget.
“It is very frustrating and demoralizing as whatever the championship, the racing season begins next month and time is running out. All I want to do is race and prove that I’m a winner.”
NEC Charity Kart Race
21st Jan 2010
On Friday 15th January I was lucky enough to take part in the annual Racing4Charity Kart race at the Autosport International show in Birmingham. The event was raising money for ‘Malaria No More’ and the final total was around £60,000!
The race is organised by David Brabham and Bill Williams, and they manage to bring drivers from all over the world to race in this event.
I was in the same team as last year, but we raced under a different name, ”The Loose Cannons” – one I’d dreamt up whilst on the phone to my good friend and team captain Duncan Tappy – it made us laugh, so we went for it!
We managed to win it last year, so with our spot on the podium at stake, we all wanted to make sure we would finish 1st again, obviously…!
The race was held in the Live Action Arena and was put together in just 20 minutes. The only significant problem was the red and white crash barriers, they didnt have any water or sand in them to weigh them down, and once the first few drivers got in the karts for practice, we were getting red flagged every two minutes with these big lumps of plastic flying up in the air!
Anyway, the race finally began and our team took the lead. Around 20 red flags later we were still out in front, but my cousin Adam Christodoulou was on the tail of our team mate Paul Rees, and so we were hanging over the pit wall screaming and shouting encouragement for him to keep pushing hard to stay in front,.
Adam passed Paul with just five minutes to go, but then Paul managed to re-overtake Adam for the lead again so we had a right race on our hands! The final two miniutes were crazy-intense! Adam pushed Paul out of the way, and with only one-and-a-bit laps to go so we were going mental about what had just happened. But after the next two corners it didn’t matter as there was no track left to race on! The fragile track boundaries had totally fell apart and barriers were flying around three metres up in the air, so the race was red flagged yet again, and as the rules state the result is based on the last full lap meaning we regained the win – which of course was the right decision after some dirty driving ;P
It was like we had won a Formula 1 race (well, sort of)! Bring on next year :)
Riki Christodoulou has got his 2010 season off to a flying start after winning a kart race in aid of charity on “home” soil for a second consecutive year.
The 21-year-old from Sutton Coldfield led his “Loose Cannons” team to a slender 0.509-secs victory in the 77-lap race at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre on Friday evening (15 Jan).
“Christo”, who finished fifth in his maiden British Formula Three Championship season and won the “Rookie Award” last year, also won the corresponding Racing4 Charity race 12 months ago.
“The last eight minutes were crazy”, commented Riki. “We were under pressure having won it last year and it was a close run affair right up until the chequered flag.”
Having qualified 12th on the 26-kart grid, “Christo” and fellow professional motor racing drivers Duncan Tappy, Paul Rees and Will Stevens plus two members of the public, Dave Fry and Shaun Traynor, swept their Loose Cannons team hit the front on lap six leading 19 of the opening 28-laps.
“Paul [Rees] led from lap 56 but then was held up in traffic allowing my cousin, Adam, to catch us up and snatch the lead with eight laps to run. I was hanging over the pit wall screaming and waving Paul on for inspiration!
“Paul re-took Adam before getting bumped out of the lead at the hairpin with one minute remaining but then the race was stopped when crash barriers flew through the air due to other multiple accidents. Rules stipulate results are decided on the lap before the red flag so that meant we’d won – again!”
The race featuring ex-Formula One drivers and some of the world’s leading sportscar drivers was part of the annual Autosport International Show and raised almost £60,000 for Malaria No More UK.
Meanwhile “Christo” is continuing to work towards his 2010 race programme. He added: “We’re in talks to get a budget for this season but it’s a slow process. I have to be patient but it’s hard. I still need major backing and investments to help me to race this year but there a lot of driver’s in the same situation due to the economic climate.”
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.
