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Super 1 - MSA Series

Super 1 - MSA Series
Round 3 - Three Sisters - 18/05/03

Gary Catt & Riki Christodoulou win F1 test visit as guests of Renault UK.

Formula A

Hampshire's Gary Catt (Thruxton) leads the Formula A class of the ELF-Hill House Hammond MSA Super One Karting Championship following an excellent weekend of action at Three Sisters, near Wigan, and with it wins an exclusive visit to an upcoming Formula One Test at Silverstone as a guest of Renault UK

It was a coming together though between reigning champion Mark Rochford (Wincanton) and archrival Mark Litchfield (Marston Montgomery) in Final One that was the talk of the paddock. Litchfield, championship leader heading into Sunday's third round of the series, looked likely to increase the gap at the top of the standings after going quickest in official practice and then winning both heats after starting from pole position in each.

During the opening stages of the race it was Litchfield who led from David Gregory (Sheffield) with Sam Quinlan (Sittingbourne), Duncan Tappy (West Ewell) and Mark Rochford all in close quarters but on lap six Gregory - still recovering from injuries incurred in an horrific accident involving a chip pan fire - took the lead but it wasn't long before Litchfield snatched it back again.

On lap eight Rochford moved into third position before taking second from Gregory the next time around but as the laps counted down and the chequered flag neared Rochford was involved in a coming together with then race leader Litchfield which resulted in the latter finishing back in 16th while Rochford was declared 17th after receiving a 20 second time penalty for his part in the incident.

Gary Catt came through to take the victory, and later the championship lead, from Duncan Tappy with Benjy Russell (Wisbech) in third. In a more sedate final two Russell took a welcome race win by almost three seconds with Chris Nash (Broxbourne) second and Tappy taking the last podium spot.

Following the event series leader Catt commented: "I'm very pleased with the win. It's sad what happened with Litchfield and Rochford but to win was still very good for me and I'm delighted to be leading the championship and to have won the Renault F1 test prize because of that."

Commenting on final one, which led to heated exchanges in parc ferme, Mark Rochford said: "The race went well, started fifth, and I was quite happy to sit there but as things went on I felt comfortable to make up some places. I got up to second and sat behind Mark Litchfield for a little while but on the last lap he left a gap so I went down the inside and as we went around the corner side by side we collided - one of those things."

A furious Litchfield, meanwhile, added: "The whole weekend was going really well but then the incident with Rochford ended up with me being fired off at the last corner - I'm not at all happy with what happened and I've lost the championship lead because of that." Click here for all Round 3 results.

Formula JICA

Formula JICA ace Riki Christodoulou (Sutton Coldfield) maintained his 12 point lead at the head of the championship standings after a win and third place during Sunday's third round of the ELF-Hill House Hammond MSA Super One karting series at Three Sisters and in doing so has scooped the prize of a rare visit to a Formula One Test as an exclusive guest of Renault UK.

Christodoulou, who has only dropped 10 points from a possible 300 maximum since the start of the season, was in his usual good form but at the start of Final One it was Freddie Martin-Dye (Guildford) who snatched the lead from the pole-sitting Christodoulou with Jason Parrott (Peterborough) settling into third and Clay Pigeon race winner Jonathan Legris (Bournemouth) fourth. Riki retook the lead almost immediately though with Parrott looking very aggressive as he sought a way past second placed Martin-Dye.

By mid-distance Parrott looked ever more threatening to Martin-Dye's second position and eventually found a way past before going a step better by snatching first position from Christodoulou with six laps to go. He held on for the win at the line by just 0.64 seconds from Martin-Dye with Christodoulou third ahead of Adam Batch (North Ferriby).

In Final Two Martin-Dye took the lead on lap one ahead of Parrott, who started on pole, with Christodoulou third and Legris a place further back in fourth. Christodoulou got ahead on lap three, however, before recording yet another race win ahead of Martin-Dye and Final One winner Parrott. Jonathan Legris maintained fourth just ahead of Jon Lancaster (Pudsey) with Adam Batch securing another strong finish in sixth.

Commenting on another highly successful weekend Christodoulou said: "I'm definately pleased to get another win and I'm really looking forward to the Formula One test visit with Renault as the championship leader. I would have liked to have got first in Final One and that was my own fault really as I didn't defend my line properly which was a bit silly. But the points are really good and I've still got quite a good lead."

Freddie Martin-Dye, second in the standings, commented: "I'm pleased with the results and it is good for the championship but I am disappointed as I don't think we really had the pace. I think we need to do some work on the engine as that seems to be holding us back a little bit but we'll get that sorted."

Jason Parrott, whose results lift him to third in the championship, said: "It's been a really good weekend. I knew from the start of the first final that I had the speed and with two laps to go Riki passed me under a yellow flag so I could have settled for the win that way. But I had the speed so I wanted to try and win on the track. We've struggled up to now but we've made some changes and now I'm back where I should be. I've got to be happy with a first and a third." Click here for all Round 3 results.

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