UK Karting - Super 1 MSA Race Report

Results & Reports
Super 1 - MSA Series

Super 1 - MSA Series
Round 4 - Rissington - 20/07/03

Formula A

A maximum 100 points from the weekend's two points scoring finals at Little Rissington has seen Mark Litchfield (Marston Montgomery) return to the top of the Formula A standings in the ELF-Hill House Hammond MSA Super One Karting Championship. The Derbyshire ace enjoyed a highly successful round four of the series at the Gloucestershire venue but it wasn't as straightforward as the results suggest with Ian Johnstone (Carluke) originally taking the victory in Final One before being excluded by the Clerk of the Course.

In official timed qualifying it was Johnstone who led the way from arch rivals Mark Rochford (Wincanton) and Litchfield with David Gregory (Sheffield) looking good with the fourth fastest time and come Sunday morning's heats it was the Carluke youngster again who dominated with two wins while Gregory notched a brace of second places.

At the start of Final One it was Johnstone who led from Gregory with Litchfield in third position, the order remaining the same for the opening few laps and the first three with a fair sized gap back to Duncan Tappy (West Ewell) in fourth place. Gregory led on lap six as he and Johnstone began to extend their lead over Litchfield but several laps later the two leaders collided heading through the penultimate turn resulting in both karters being excluded. Although Gregory took the chequered flag with Johnstone second it was third place finisher Mark Litchfield who was promoted to the top step of the podium with Tappy handed second and Benjy Russell (Wisbech) third.

In Final Two Duncan Tappy managed to seize the lead at the start from Litchfield as they headed through the first corner but just a few turns later it was a revitalised Litchfield who re-took first position. The Final One winner instantly started to open up a lead from the chasing pack and by lap three it was Litchfield leading from Tappy, Peter Rees (Pamgbourne) and Jordan Wise (Epping). Litchfield continued to lead unchallenged at the front but there was action aplenty in the chasing pack as his team-mate Gary Catt (Thruxton) managed to work his past Tappy, Rees and Wise to move into second position. Litchfield held on to take his second finals victory of the weekend, and with it a 22-point lead in the championship, while Catt was second and Jordan Wise was third.

Reigning Formula A champion Rochford put in some scintillating drives throughout the course of the weekend after he was forced to battle through the field on more than one occasion but all his hard work bore little fruit. Having finished third and fifth in the heats Rochford was excluded from Final One after a coming together with Gary Catt at the Dog Leg corner on the opening lap of the race and then failed to finish Final Two.

Commenting on his weekend's work a delighted Mark Litchfield said: "There was some great racing this weekend and it's very satisfying to win both finals, especially the second final. It wasn't easy and I struggled badly all day with poor handling and lack of power. For the first final we sort of half-sorted things but fortunately for me I got the win after Johnstone and Gregory were excluded. "In the second final everything just came together. I got off the line quick and then managed to get the lead on the opening lap and just pulled away. The kart set-up we had for me was just brilliant and it was just a matter of counting down the laps. I'm absolutely delighted and it's great to be leading the championship." Full results can be found here.

Formula A points (provisional): 1st Mark Litchfield, 360pts; 2nd Duncan Tappy, 338pts; 3rd Benjy Russell, 336pts; 4th Gary Catt, 318pts; 5th Peter Rees, 309pts; 6th Ian Johnstone, 297pts.

Formula JICA

Teenage karting sensation Riki Christodoulou (Sutton Coldfield) maintained his lead at the top of the Formula JICA standings after a perfect 100-point haul during the fourth round of the ELF-Hill House Hammond MSA Super One Karting Championship at Little Rissington in Gloucestershire.

Christodoulou, who celebrated his 15th birthday last week, has been in dominant form since the start of the season and a brace of outstanding performances in the weekend's two points scoring finals underlined his undoubted talent once more. In official timed qualifying it was the Sutton Coldfield ace who went fastest ahead of Jon Lancaster (Pudsey) in second, an in-form Thomas Armour (Hornchurch) in third and with Riki's main championship rival Freddie Martin-Dye (Shamley Green) in fourth.

Having been relegated to the rear of the grid for heat one by the Clerk of the Course, Christodolou put in a sterling performance to finish seventh with Martin-Dye claiming the win ahead of Armour and Jonathan Walker (Dinckley). Heat two was a different story however with Riki taking the victory ahead of Martin-Dye and Jonathan Legris (Bournemouth). Christodoulou backed that up with a win in Final One, having started third on the grid, while pole-sitting Freddie Martin-Dye frustratingly had to once again settle for second place. Armour was again in good form with third position just ahead of Jason Parrott (Crowland) in fourth.

In Final Two Christodoulou was made to work even harder for the win after a first lap incident - his initial start was good as he took the lead from pole position but at the third corner it was Martin-Dye who managed to seize the initiative and take the lead. Christodoulou dropped back down the order and by the start of lap three was well down the field with Martin-Dye leading from Daniel Rowbottom (Mamble) and Jason Parrott. Showing his class Christodoulou started his fightback and by half-distance the teenager had managed to climb back into a podium position before moving into second place and then edging ever closer to Martin-Dye at the front. A great move on Freddie at the Dog Leg a few laps from home gave Riki the lead which he kept to the flag to secure a perfect 100-point haul to add his already substantial total in the standings. Martin-Dye was second to stay in touch with Christodoulou in the championship while Rowbottom was an excellent third.

Commenting on his tremendous Little Rissington weekend, Christodoulou said: "It's been a good event for us but it wasn't all that easy - in the first heat I was made to start from the back but finished seventh but at least I managed to win the second. I'm really happy to have won both of the finals and the points are good for the championship. I had to fight my way through in the second final after an incident on the first lap but that makes winning even more special." Full results can be found here.

Formula JICA points (provisional): 1st Riki Christodoulou, 390pts; 2nd Freddie Martin-Dye, 374pts; 3rd Jason Parrott, 346pts; 4th Jon Lancaster, 338pts; 5th Daniel Rowbottom, 323pts; 6th Viktor Jensen, 313pts.

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