News
Second podium joy for Christo in Britain
18th Jul 2007
Fortec Motorsport Formula Renault driver Riki Christodoulou secured the fourth podium of his debut season in the high profile single-seater racing series by taking third position in the first of the two races held at a rain-hit Donington Park last weekend.
The 2007 UK ‘Formula Renault with Michelin’ competition supports the British Touring Car Championship and the eleventh and twelfth rounds of the calendar travelled to the venue that hosts the MotoGP and Motocross world championship events.
Negotiating his first event in the wet former British Junior Karting champion ‘Christo’, who turned 19 years old on raceday, drove smoothly and competently to slot into third place before the first sprint was red-flagged due to bad conditions. The torrential downpours later eased and the second outing got underway. The Sutton Coldfield resident had moved into the runner-up berth from the second row of the grid and was aiming to register his best finish of the year when he ran into some trouble.
“It had just started raining again around the back of the circuit and another car had spun on the track,” he recounted. “I under-steered a little bit around one of the faster corners and the stationary car was parked right by the side of the asphalt. I ran a little bit onto the grass and could not avoid clipping the front of it.”
“I could not believe it,” he added. “If it had been parked anywhere else then I would have veered back onto the track without a problem but as it was I had to retire. The first race was great and I was really enjoying the track even if it was wet. I had a great start and was doing well until the race was stopped. The second one was just disappointing, but I feel that I am progressing all the time.”
With the series now into the second half of its ten meetings and twenty rounds, Christodoulou stands fourth in points table after his worst result has been dropped. He is currently second in the rookie Graduate Cup award.
This week he heads to the fast Snetterton circuit in Norfolk for testing. The next race there on July 29th will take place at yet another unseen course for the teenager, but he is impressing this year with his speed and adaptation to the Fortec FR 2.0 machinery.
