RIKI RACES INTO CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD
Riki Christodoulou powered into the lead of the Renault Formula A karting championship with two commanding race victories in the opening rounds held yesterday.
His pace left rivals in the UK’s top karting series unable to keep up around the Three Sisters Circuit, near Wigan, one of the country’s fastest kart tracks.
On the way, the 17-year-old karter from Sutton Coldfield, picked up an invitation to spend the day with Renault F1 Team, the reigning Formula One World Constructors Champion, when it tests at Silverstone on 27th April.
Christodoulou, who is racing in a Vortex-powered Alonso kart, will be hoping to meet the champion Formula One driver who gave his name to Christodoulou’s machine.
“I’m delighted to start the championship with two wins, and going on the F1 test is great bonus,” said Christodoulou.
He won the first race after a three way battle with two times Renault Formula A Champion Mark Litchfield (Heage, Derbyshire) and 2003 champ Gary Catt (Sheffield), who is mounting a major international karting campaign alongside four or five rounds of the Super One Renault Formula A championship.
In the second points scoring final of the day, Christodoulou held his lead from pole position taking the inside line into the first corner. Championship rival Mark Litchfield was passed by Gary Catt and dropped to third in the opening laps. Litchfield quickly retook second place, and although he was quicker than the 2003 champion, he could do nothing about Christodoulou’s increasing lead.
The 2004 and 2005 champion, who is gunning for an unprecedented third consecutive title, was crestfallen at his rival’s dominating performance. “Two second places is fantastic for the championship. I did everything I could.
“I was happy with my performance and the kart’s performance, but his (Christodoulou’s) engine was better,” said Litchfield. “In the corners I could keep with him, on the straights when he put his foot down he was going way from us. Three Sisters is a power circuit, and so is Shenington, so we may struggle there.”
Christodoulou, meanwhile, also has his sights firmly set on the coveted Renault Formula A title, after an error cost him the championship in the final round last year. “I want to win,” he said. “This will probably be my last year in karts. I hope to move to racing cars next year. There was a possibility of racing single-seaters this year but I have some unfinished business in karting.”
Tiffany Chittenden (Chiselhurst, Kent) returned to Renault Formula A in a last minute deal with HRS Motorsport, but struggled having not tested in a kart over the winter. She ran as high as ninth place in the first race, finishing 13th, but retired with a broken exhaust after an accident in the second race.
Renault Formula A Championship provisional points
1st – Riki Christodoulou 100pts; 2nd – Mark Litchfield 96pts; 3rd Gary Catt – 92pts;
4th – Jason Parrott 85pts; 5th – Jamie Croxford 84pts; 6th – Chris Rogers 81pts.
