11/23/2007

Unprecedented Pre-Registrations For Renault Sport UK Championships

Renault Sport UK’s pre-registration initiative continues to thrive with the total number of drivers intending to be on the grid in 2008 across its three championships passing three figures. The ELF Renault Clio Cup has the most pre-registered entries at 44, with the Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship attracting 37 and the Formula Renault BARC Championship 38, making a total of 115 potential drivers.

The early interest in the championships means that all three have the potential to be over-subscribed. When registration opens in January, the Formula Renault UK Championship will have a limit of 32 entries, while the ELF Renault Clio Cup and Formula Renault BARC Championship will be limited to 36.

Singleton leads the way in Formula Renault UK

Multiple champion team Manor Competition is intending to return to a four-car line-up in 2008, with Mark Burdett Motorsport, Apotex Scorpio Motorsport and Hitech Junior all announcing their intention to enter three cars. Russell Racing and Hillspeed have both pre-registered two cars, with Hillspeed listing 2007 Formula Renault UK Winter Cup champion Richard Singleton (Conwy) as one of its trio.

Mark Burdett Motorsport, Russell Racing and Hillspeed also have plans to continue in the Formula Renault BARC Championship. Hillspeed lists Ahmad Al Harthy (Hathersage) and Menasheh Idafar (London) as two of its four cars, while Mark Burdett Motorsport and Russell Racing have three and two cars respectively.

Welsh racer Ash Davies (Conwy) with Taro Motorsport, Rossi (Blackburn) with Worswick Engineering and Lee Dwyer (Huddersfield) with SSS Motorsport have all pre-registered for the FR2000 Class, Rossi as part of a potential two-car team. Vitulli Racing and Melvyn Marshall Racing have each pre-registered one space.

Pearson Engineering Services have two cars pre-registered in the FR2000 Class and one in Club Class, listing reigning BARC Class champion Ian Pearson (Didcot) and his dad Bob as two of its three drivers. Also in Club Class are John Whitbourn (Burgess Hill) and returning drivers Fraser Smart (Kilsyth) and Adrian Dixon (Harpenden).

TCR out to reclaim Clio Cup title

Clio Cup pre-registrations have continued to flood in, led by former champion team Total Control Racing with four cars, Alex MacDowall continuing with Lee Brookes’ squad. Mardi Gras Motorsport, a former champion team in the Renault Sport Spider Cup with triple FIA World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx, also plans to run four cars.

Stancombe Vehicle Engineering has pre-registered three cars, while PT Sport’s Pete Felix (Hatton), PH Motorsport’s Phil House (Harrogate) and Dewsport with Solutions Racing’s Alex Dew (Oxford) all plan to enter as independents. Chloe Edwards (Maidenhead), daughter of 2000 Clio Cup champion Jim Edwards Jnr who finished fourth overall last season, is another to pre-register as a single-car entry.

Commenting on the continued interest in all three series, Championship Manager Simon North said: “I’m delighted that all three championships are receiving recognition from new and existing teams – we have never seen such interest at this stage in recent memory.

“Given the fact that entries are limited for each series and we have passed those limits in pre-registration, teams and drivers should try to prepare as early as possible for when registration opens in January at the Autosport Show.”

The pre-registration process will close on Friday, 14th December. Registrations will be accepted from 09.00 on Thursday, 10th January at the Renault Sport UK stand at the Autosport Show. Registration forms will be sent to everyone who has pre-registered prior to this date.