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Official pre-season testing for the Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship ended on Wednesday, 21st March with Riki Christodoulou (Sutton Coldfield) setting the fastest time in each of the day’s two sessions at Oulton Park Island circuit. The Fortec Motorsport ace lapped the 2.23-mile circuit in 1min 18.126s (102.57mph) in the afternoon stint, bettering his earlier mark of 1min 18.872s (101.60mph).
As with the previous test at Brands Hatch Indy circuit, the Fortec Motorsport driver beat the existing lap record, which must be set in race conditions. In May 2004, Sean McIntosh set the current record for the Cheshire circuit at 1min 20.039s (100.12mph), indicating the new-for-2007 Formula Renault 2.0 aerodynamic bodykit makes the car faster through the high-speed corners that are a feature of Oulton Park.
Christodoulou’s team-mate Dean Smith (Wolverhampton) was second-fastest in each session with a best time of 1min 18.475s (102.12mph). Duncan Tappy (West Ewell, Surrey) completed a Fortec Motorsport 1-2-3 with a time just 0.015s slower than Smith.
Three AKA Cobra drivers also broke the 1min 19s barrier, with Jeremy Metcalfe (Fleet, Hants) the team’s leading challenger with a time of 1min 18.502s (102.08mph). His team-mates Chris Holmes (Ilkley, Yorks) and Adam Christodoulou (Lichfield, Staffs) were fifth and sixth overall, 0.683s and 0.817s behind Riki Christodoulou respectively.
Eucatex/Premier Pet/Shoptour’s Adriano Buzaid (Oxford) put in a solid performance to finish fifth in the morning session and seventh overall. He led a cluster of five drivers covered by a mere 0.079s, showing the incredibly close racing in the leading single-seater category. Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Sho Hanawa (Skegness, Lincs) was eighth, ahead of Manor Competition’s Richard Singleton (Conwy, Wales), Apotex Scorpio Motorsport’s Will Bratt (Banbury, Oxon) and Hi Tech Racing’s Richard Keen (Amersham, Bucks).
Manor Competition’s Alexander Sims (Peterborough) looked set to challenge the leaders after setting the eighth-fastest time in the morning, but an accident at Druids with 20 minutes left in the session meant his car was unfit for use in the afternoon.
Riki Christodoulou has now set the fastest time in each of the last four test sessions. Commenting on his performance at Oulton Park he said: “I think the main reason it’s going well for me is that I’m enjoying it. I’ve had two days of testing here at the start of the year and really enjoy the flow through the high-speed turns. The pressure is on the driver to be smooth with the turn-in and let the car run.
“It couldn’t have gone any better leading up to Brands Hatch but the one thing I do lack is race experience. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some podiums this season and I’m determined to do well. If Lewis Hamilton can do it in Formula One then maybe I can too!”
Rounds 1 and 2 of the Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship will be held at Brands Hatch Indy circuit on Sunday, 1st April.
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