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Every driver in the Championship is aware of its most famous graduate, Formula One star Lewis Hamilton. Motorsport’s biggest sensation made his single-seater debut in the 2001 Formula Renault UK Winter Series, with a best result of fifth in round four at Donington Park.

The Winter Cup begins with two races at Donington Park National circuit on Saturday, 3rd November, concluding with two races at Croft circuit on Saturday, 10th November. Official pre-race testing takes place on Thursday, 1st November at Donington Park and Friday, 9th November at Croft. The Championship features an FR BARC Class for Formula Renault BARC specification cars, which will run for the first time without an engine restrictor.

Reflecting the aim of the four-round series, the combination of drivers includes nine drivers who debuted in the 2007 Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship and nine drivers graduating from the feeder Formula Renault BARC Championship, including champion Hywel Lloyd (Corwen) of CF Racing, who earned a place on the grid as part of his prize, and Alpine Motorsport’s vice-champion Dean Stoneman (Southampton). Thirteen drivers make their Formula Renault UK debuts, while Hitech Junior Team’s Jon Lancaster (Leeds) raced in the 2006 Formula Renault UK Winter Cup.

Recently crowned Formula Renault UK Entrants champion Fortec Motorsport retains Riki Christodoulou (Sutton Coldfield) to team up with Adriano Buzaid (Oxford), Ollie Webb (Knutsford) and Paul Rees (Oxford). Manor Competition has three cars piloted by Alexander Sims (Peterborough), Kris Loane (Kesh) and Russian newcomer Ivan Lookin. AKA Cobra also has three entries with Adam Christodoulou (Lichfield), Nathan Caratti (London) and Finland’s latest hot prospect Valtteri Bottas.

Mark Burdett Motorsport’s two-car team comprises Sweden’s Fredrik Blomstedt and Germany’s Johannes Seidlitz, while its former driver Sho Hanawa joins Formula Renault BARC graduate Kieren Clark (Tadlow) at Apotex Scorpio Motorsport. Jordan Oakes (Hopton) is joined at Eurotek by Tom Mun (Market Harborough), who moves up from the sister Formula Renault BARC team. Omani racer Ahmad Al Harthy (Hathersage) makes the same step up with Hillspeed.

Multiple title-winning team Carlin Motorsport makes its Formula Renault UK debut retaining Henry Surtees (Edenbridge) and Lebanese racer Joe Ghanem as its driver pairing. Eurocup Formula Renault racer Jon Lancaster is joined at Hitech Junior Team by South African Marc Murray (Colchester). Falcon Motorsport is another two-car entry with newcomer Damien Charveriat (London) joining Formula Renault BARC racer Sten Pentus (Faringdon).

Single car entries include Formula Renault BARC graduates Lee Dwyer (Huddersfield) of SSS Motorsport, Russell Racing’s British-born Bahrani Menasheh Idafar (London), AMR’s Andy Meyrick (Delamere) and Boulevard Team Racing’s Joshua Brooks(Alford). HS Motorsport’s Brett Parris (Southampton), Michael Lyons (Felsted), the youngest driver ever to race a Formula One car, and British and European karting star Scott Jenkins (Bristol) complete the grid.

Commenting on the record-breaking entry, which contains 14 different nationalities, Championship Manager Simon North said: “To have a full grid of cars before the end of the summer championship is unprecedented and fantastic news. Looking through the list of names it is clear to see that several drivers will be battling for race wins and the overall title. We welcome in the new teams to the championship and look forward to four exciting races.”

Entry list as of Friday, 5th October

  1 Adriano Buzaid                    BRA                 Fortec Motorsport

* 2 Brett Parris                        GBR                HS Motorsport

  3 Jon Lancaster                      GBR                Hitech Junior Team

  4 Marc Murray                        RSA                Hitech Junior Team

* 5 Menasheh Idafar                 GBR                Russell Racing

  6 Ollie Webb                           GBR                Fortec Motorsport

  7 Dean Stoneman                   GBR                Alpine Motorsport

  8 Riki Christodoulou                GBR                Fortec Motorsport

  9 Paul Rees                            GBR                Fortec Motorsport

  10 Jordan Oakes                     GBR                Eurotek Motorsport

  11 Tom Mun                            KOR                Eurotek Motorsport

  12 Adam Christodoulou            GBR                AKA Cobra

* 14 Joshua Brooks                   GBR                Boulevard Team Racing

* 15 Hywel Lloyd                       GBR                CF Racing

  16 Valtteri Bottas                     FIN                 AKA Cobra

  17 Ivan Lookin                        RUS                Manor Competition

  18 Kris Loane                          GBR                Manor Competition

  19 Alexander Sims                   GBR                Manor Competition

  20 Sho Hanawa                        JPN              Apotex Scorpio Motorsport

  21 Nathan Caratti                    AUS                 AKA Cobra

* 22 Lee Dwyer                        GBR                SSS Motorsport

  24 Henry Surtees                    GBR                Carlin Motorsport

  25 Joe Ghanem                       LIB                   Carlin Motorsport

  26 Fredrik Blomstedt               SWE               Mark Burdett Motorsport

  27 Johannes Seidlitz                GER                Mark Burdett Motorsport

* 28 Sten Pentus                       EST                 Falcon Motorsport

  29 Kieren Clark                      GBR                Apotex Scorpio Motorsport

* 30 Damien Charveriat            FRA                 Falcon Motorsport

* 42 Michael Lyons                   GBR                Driver

  43 Scott Jenkins                     GBR                Driver

* 77 Ahmad Al Harthy              OMA                Hillspeed

  99 Andy Meyrick                   GBR                AMR

* Denotes FR BARC Class competitor