The Grid.co.uk    the national & club motor racing website - est1998          

  ^News

Continued from News                                

mail your news to editorthegrid@yahoo.co.uk

BRDC FINALISES 2009 SUPERSTARS LINE UP.

The British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) has announced that cousins Adam and Riki Christodoulou, Andy Meyrick and Dean Stoneman will take the final four places in its 2009 Superstars young driver programme. This makes a total of 13 drivers who will be supported by the Superstars programme for 2009, as opposed to the previously announced total of 12.

“It was simply impossible to settle on just 12 drivers for 2009”, commented Tim Harvey, Director of the BRDC Superstars initiative. “There is such a wealth of British talent out there at the moment, we could not leave any of our chosen drivers off the programme, besides I have never been superstitious so 13 will present no problem for me!”

The initiative, now in its second year, will support young drivers from a cross-section of motor racing disciplines and championships, ranging from single-seater racing in Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula Renault to British Touring Cars, Le Mans and GT series drivers.

Adam Christodoulou joins the celebrated Superstars programme following his Formula Renault UK championship title in 2008. Adam has commenced his 2009 season with confidence,winning Round One of the2009 Star Mazda Series at Sebring on 20th March.

Cousin Riki set the fastest time at Snetterton during the first official test session of the 2009 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series last month. He enjoyed the first taste of Fortec’s Dallara F309 chassis and was just over a second quicker than the Norfolk circuit’s official lap record. His final programme will be confirmed shortly as he continues to evaluate opportunities for 2009. Formula  3  National  Class  race winner Andy Meyrick will step up to the Le Mans Series, following a successful test for the Kolles LMP squad. The  23-year-old  will contest the five-race  series. The first race will kick off in Barcelona this weekend where Andy will race an Audi R10 TDi.

Alpine Motorsport’s Dean Stoneman set the early pace by going quickest in all four sessions of the first official Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship pre-season test at Rockingham in February. Now in his second season after winning the Graduate Cup last year, the 18-year-old is joint title favourite with Fortec’s and  fellow BRDC Superstar, James Calado.

The complete line up for the 2009 BRDC Superstars programme is: JONATHAN ADAM - British Touring Car Championship WAYNE BOYD - British Formula 3 International Series JAMES CALADO - Formula Renault UK Championship ADAM CHRISTODOULOU   - Star Mazda Championship RIKI CHRISTODOULOU – To be confirmed SEAN EDWARDS - Porsche Supercup STUART HALL - Le Mans Series ANDREW JORDAN - British Touring Car Championship ANDY MEYRICK – Le Mans Series JASON MOORE - Formula 2 ALEXANDER SIMS - Formula 3 Euro Series DEAN STONEMAN – Formula Renault UK Championship OLIVER TURVEY - Formula Renault 3.5 Series BRDC Superstars Director,

Tim Harvey, concludes: “It is my pleasure to confirm the four  drivers  who  are completing  the 2009  Superstars  programme  team. I am very much looking forward to commencing our second year of support for young British drivers and to developing the initiative even further. “As  announced  previously,  each  of  the  Superstars  will  continue  to  receive  direct assistance in all aspects of professional motor sport. This includes help with physical and mental training, career guidance, team building skills, marketing advice, access to industry seminars and workshops with BRDC Members and other influential people within motor sport.”