News

• Adam Christodoulou’s First Blog Entry For SpeedTV 8th Mar 2010

  From the original article on SpeedTV.com

  2009 Star Mazda Series Champion Adam Christodoulou files his first blog entry for SPEEDtv.com on his Rolex Series debut weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

  It’s been a good learning weekend for me and my co-driver John Edwards in the SpeedSource/Newman Wachs Mazda RX-8. We obviously knew we had to start gaining experience in the car as we only had a day and a half before coming here for our debut. Luckily being a part of the Mazda family, we were able to get in Skip Barber cars on Thursday morning, so we learned the track in those cars and it gave us a good idea of the track layout and got us ready for the first practice on Friday morning.

  Our first practice went well; we ended up near the front in the GT class. We made some changes that didn’t work out in the second session, so we went back to the basics and seemed to improve on our pace in qualifying. It would have been nice to have learning the car a bit more before being thrown into our first race, but we managed. It’s taken a lot of effort to prepare the car for the first race, so we’ve had to deal with what we’ve had, but it’s worked out quite well.

  Going into this first race, I hadn’t experienced endurance racing before, so I was trying to figure out how GRAND-AM racing worked and what to expect. I was hit with one huge surprise when I had a puncture during my stint in the race. We were in third or fourth at the time, and things were looking good for a top-five finish, but trouble struck.

  I remember looking in my mirrors knowing there was a DP car coming up towards me, so I took my usual line and the DP went underneath. Suddenly, three-quarters of the way through the corner, I heard a bit of a bang and the steering wheel went an extra few degrees on me and realized something wasn’t right. All of a sudden, it started drifting towards the wall. I luckily managed to keep it off the wall and going down the next stretch, I had confirmation that it was a blow out. I attempted to make it around the first corner but ended up just taking the escape road around the oval. Luckily being on the oval, I managed to use the oval portion of track and make it into the pits.

  Even under such short notice, the entire SpeedSource team was prepped to put new tires on the car. After my stint, the adrenaline was still pumping as I climbed out of the car. I tried to not get in the way of the crew. But after the stop, I thanked all of the guys. They did an awesome job for John’s last 30-minute stint. He was on new tires and we both seemed to preform well in the dark.

  The challenge of endurance racing with the driver changes is something new for both of us. I’m sure we’ve done over a thousand driver changes already. We’ve been practicing them non-stop throughout the weekend and also down at the shop beforehand. It’s something new we just have to get used to and I feel we have down pretty well, but can probably still improve it by a few seconds. It’s just going to come with experience.

  Sportscar racing is definitely a different type of racing, as I’ve quickly learned. Normally in a single-seater, you’re assigned to your own car and it’s up to you on how to work the race. In that type of racing, you have to take an aggressive approach right from the start. In endurance racing, you have to take care of your tires, watch your fuel and be mindful of the car because you have to hand over the car to your co-driver in decent shape.

  To be honest, it felt quite strange watching John do qualifying. I’m used to qualifying my own car, so it was weird sitting in the pit lane seeing the times come in. I was also in the pit lane for the start of the race, watching John take the start. It’s a different experience, but when you’re in the car that’s your time to preform and make sure you make minimal mistakes and keep out of the way of the DPs and run your own race at your own pace. You have to make sure you don’t go all out in the first few laps and don’t have anything for the rest of the race.

  Each time I went out, I learned something new. Now I’m getting more of a feel for how fast the Daytona Prototypes are. For the next race, I’ll be able to decide if I’ll be able to go flat-out in the corners or to back off and allow the DPs to pass at the right time. I’ve also learned the aspect of pit stops and the fact that we need to probably speed them up a little bit. We had one or two issues in the pits, so I’m sure we’ll get it sorted for the next race.

  After spending last year getting used to the twin-rotor Mazda engine in Star Mazda, it’s quite an experience driving the triple-rotor power plant in the RX-8. It’s got a special ring to it and definitely sings down the straight. It produces a good kick. The Mazda is unlike any other GT car I’ve driven. It hasn’t got much roll, but feels so stable under braking and has more characteristics of a single-seater considering how light and nimble it is. The punch from the engine is also special. The higher the revs, the more power you seem to get. It just wants to carry on and go. I think Mazda has a pretty awesome setup for its GT car.

  I’m happy that we have the first race over and out of the way now. After all, the main goal for this race was just to finish, and we accomplished that. Now I know where we need to improve for the rest of the season. It’s a shame the results weren’t a little better, because we could have been fighting for a top-five position, but I’m sure we’ll get everything sorted and we’ll give it our best shot for the next race at Barber. John and I are the new kids on the block, and we’ll keep learning through the entire season.

  ~Adam

• Christodoulou To Debut In RX-8 At Grand Prix of Miami 6th Mar 2010

  The three most recent winners of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear are all behind the wheel of competitive cars for this afternoon’s start of the three-hour Grand Prix of Miami, Round 2 of the 2010 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16.

  Englishman Adam Christodoulou (2009 champion) and American John Edwards (2008) will start third on the GT grid co-driving the #68 SpeedSource/Newman Wachs Racing/ Nuclear Clean Air Energy / Entergy Mazda RX-8. And 2007 champion, American Dane Cameron, co-driving with his uncle, Steve Cameron and Grand-Am veteran Rob Finlay, will start 5th on the Continental Tire GS-class grid in the #57 Rehagen Racing / Uncle Joe’s entry.

  “I drove the car in qualifying, but Adam and I have a similar pace and driving styles so it’s easy to mix and match and we’ll alternate who qualifies during the season,” says Edwards who won the Star Mazda Championship with AIM Autosport and moved up to win the 2009 Atlantic Championship. “We’re very happy with our pace in qualifying, and on old tires, and Adam and the team and I are all working well together, so we’re optimistic of a good finish. The challenge for us will be to drive endurance-style rather than the flat-out open-wheel sprint races we’re used to, but I was pleasantly surprised how well-balanced and quick this Mazda RX-8 is. The racing is different from what I’m used to, but it’s very competitive we I’m earning my living driving a factory-sponsored race car that’s capable of winning.”

  MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development is backing the Christodoulou / Edwards effort in a car prepared by SpeedSource and fielded by Newman Wachs Racing. This will be the first time either driver has raced a Grand-Am GT car, and is the start of a full-season program where the two will hone their skills in an unfamiliar form of racing, with the intention of helping Mazda win the 2010 Grand-Am GT class manufacturers’ championship.

  “Both John and I won back-to-back titles in open-wheel racing, him in Star Mazda and Atlantic and me in European Formula Renault and Star Mazda. This is a big change for both of us, but John and I are getting along very well and I’m coming to grips with the car, the traffic with the DP cars, the driver changes and all the other things that are part of winning endurance races. The RX-8 is quicker than any other GT car I’ve ever driven, and it feels both light and very well planted so it’s quite fun to drive on the track. The team engineering is quite good, and their race strategy is sound, so we just have to follow instruction, go as fast as we can without bending anything and we should be in the running.”

  About the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear

  For 2010, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear will feature an 11-weekend, 13-race schedule, most on major race weekends with American Le Mans and the Indy Racing League. Rising stars from around the world will compete for prizes valued at $1.5 million and benefit from two driver development programs, including the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder and the Indy Racing League’s ‘Road to Indy’ program. The Star Mazda Championship features standing starts, wheel-to-wheel racing at 150 mph and budgets a fraction of other top open-wheel ladder series. For more information, please visit www.starmazda.com or contact Peter Frey / Communications Director / 818-398-5733 / StarMazdaPR@aol.com.

• Christodoulou to Race Mazda RX-8 in Grand-Am GT Championship 23rd Feb 2010

  MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development today announced that 2009 Atlantic Championship winner John Edwards will team with 2009 Star Mazda Championship winner Adam Christodoulou in a SpeedSource-prepared Mazda RX-8 in the Grand-Am GT class, starting with next weekend’s Homestead Grand Prix. This will be the first time either young driver has raced a Grand-Am GT car, and is the start of a full-season program where the two will hone their skills in an unfamiliar form of racing, with the intention of helping Mazda win the 2010 Grand-Am GT class manufacturers’ championship.

  The RX-8 will be entered by SpeedSource/Newman Wachs Racing. Edwards won the 2009 Cooper Tires presents the Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda title with NWR, and the car will carry sponsorship from Entergy and the Nuclear Energy Industry (NEI). NEI’s objective is to ensure the formation of policies that promote the beneficial uses of nuclear energy and technologies around the world. Entergy is the second largest owner and operator of U.S. nuclear energy plants. They operate 11 nuclear power plants in the NE region and SE.

  The car has been sourced from Yellow Dragon Motorsports, owned by long-time Mazda club-racer Jack Smith, and will be prepared by Florida-based SpeedSource, Inc,. SpeedSource’s Castrol Syntec-sponsored RX-8 won the GT class at the 2008 and 2010 runnings of the Rolex-24 at Daytona.

  Pertinent quotes:

Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality, Mazda North American Operations, and the man responsible for Mazda’s North American motorsports programs under the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner:

  
“Over the past 15 years Mazda has become the vehicle of choice among grassroots road-racers. This gave Mazda an opportunity to do what no other automaker had done before: create a ladder to assist up-and-coming racers progress through the ranks. The foundation of that ladder is our 9,000 club racers and our four Mazda-exclusive series – Atlantics, Star Mazda, Skip Barber, and MX-5 Cup.

  The current global economy has impacted our sport, and Mazda been affected as well. That said, our commitment to the ladder remains intact, and we are adding a new series for 2010: the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.”

  Davis, Continued:

  “For 2010, two of our 2009 champions are moving up along a different path than the 2008 champions. Both John Edwards and Adam Christodoulou will be racing in the Grand-Am GT series this year, and this will enable them to add valuable closed-wheel racing experience to their resumes, similar to the opportunity we were able to offer to Jonathon Bomarito, who teamed with SpeedSource to win the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona.”

  Eddie Wachs, on his team’s 2010 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series debut:

  “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Mazda and the 2010 Rolex 24-winning team of SpeedSource for the 2010 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car season.  I am even more pleased to be joined again by our 2009 driver, John Edwards, as well as welcoming Adam (Christodoulou) to our NWR family. In working with the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development program this past year with John, we formed a mutually beneficial relationship and have found a way to carry that over into 2010. The bar is set very high for our pair of drivers but I am confident that they will, as always, perform above even our greatest expectations. With the continued support from our sponsors including Entergy and the nuclear energy industry, we are able to make this deal possible and we can’t thank them enough as well.”

  John Edwards, 2009 Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda Champion:

  “A lot of pieces had to be put in place to make this happen, but Mazda, Newman Wachs Racing, Entergy, and SpeedSource came together to make what will be a very competitive effort in the 2010 Grand-am season. SpeedSource has proven in their results that they are the top team in Rolex GT, and I am very excited to continue climbing the MAZDASPEED ladder. Mazda has proved once again that they strive to support young drivers. I am very thankful to Eddie Wachs and Entergy for their continuing support, and I’m eager to win some more races with them in 2010!”

  Adam Christodoulou, 2009 Star Mazda Championship Champion:

  “After a fantastic two seasons racing in 2008 and 2009 winning two titles back to back in two different championships from around the world, I’m now being thrown my next challenge. In 2010, the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development program is helping me to further my career to the next level. This is a big step for me as I have never competed out of single-seater racing, I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel and proving to everyone that I’m competitive in whichever series I race. I think it’s going to be great working with John, as I know we both want the same thing: to be fast, competitive and to win races. I don’t think I could have been partnered up with a better team and team mate.
  Without the MAZDASPEED ladder and its support of young drivers, I may not have been driving this year.”

  Sylvain Tremblay, owner, SpeedSource:

  “From victory at the Rolex 24 to this — what an incredible month we have had!  Anytime you are successful in motorsports, it is because you surround yourself with the best. Having the reigning Atlantic championship team and its driver John Edwards, along with the Champion from the Star Mazda series, Adam Christodoulou, join us in the battle for the 2010 Grand Am GT manufacturers championship, is for sure a “best case scenario”.   The people at Newman Wachs are incredible; they are winners and we hit it off from the first contact. This is proof-positive that Mazda’s ladder works, and we are proud to help them develop young talent to the highest levels.”

  Jack Smith, Team Principal, Yellow Dragon Motorsports:

  “Yellow Dragon Motorsports is excited to have this opportunity to support SpeedSource, Newman Wachs Racing and Mazda in fielding a third car in the Grand-Am Rolex GT series. We are proud to be included in the Mazda Motorsports family, and are glad we can assist Mazda in its quest for the manufacturer’s championship in the Rolex GT series.”

  About Mazda

  On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle. At the track, you’ll see MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car. In fact, the largest road-racing class in the world is Spec Miata, with more than 2,500 first- and second-generation Miatas tearing up America’s racetracks, making it the most-raced production car in the world. Mazda’s involvement in motorsports extends to its relationship with Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the world’s premier road-racing circuits, and the Skip Barber Schools for driving and racing.

  Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in the United States in 2010, Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers.  Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

• Christodoulou to Appear in Celebrity Karting Challenge at Autosport Show 12th Jan 2010

  Racing driving Adam Christodoulou will be returning to the Autosport International Show on Friday to take part in a celebrity karting challenge to raise money for anti-Malaria projects in Africa. The event will pit him against legendary racing drivers Jenson Button, Andy Priaulx and David Brahha, in a battle for a place on the Autosport podium.

  Christodoulou says, “It’s great to be invited back to the show. It’s a great place to meet the public, sponsors, drivers and petrol heads from the racing world! This year I will again be participating in the Celebrity Karting Challenge which will be raising money for Malaria No More, a charity who buy and distribute mosquito nets that help to save lives everyday.”

  “Each of the twenty teams on the grid will include six people – four celebrities and two people from the general public. The competitors will be battling it out for 90 minutes to win a place on the podium.

  For the past year Adam has been racing Star Mazda cars in America, and in 2009 was crowned champion after a successful debut season. He previously was also the British Formula Renault Champion, something which he has in common with former Formula One World Champion, Lewis Hamilton.

  “Two years ago I was lucky enough to be in a team which won this karting event, but unfortunately I had to miss out last year due to my racing commitments in the USA, so this year I look forward to getting back to regaining the top spot.”

  Volunteer-run ‘Racing4Charity’ are organising the event, and over the past 15 years have raised over £300,000 for numerous charities through motorsport events. The money will be given to Malaria No More, and for each £5 raised they will be able to buy and deliver a bed net to cover a mother and baby, or two children, for up to five years.

  To watch Adam and the other drivers compete, please visit the Autosport International Show on at the NEC in Birmingham this week Friday 15th January. The event starts at 3pm in the 5000 seated grand stand at the show. Other attractions at the world’s biggest motor sport show include Grand Prix simulators, Formula One World Champion Jenson Button and many other events being held in the Live Action Arena.

  You can follow Adam’s progress on Twitter at http://twitter.com/adamchristo

• Adam Christodoulou Completes Successful First Atlantic Test 21st Dec 2009

  As the holidays rapidly approach and 2009 draws to a close, 2009 Star Mazda champion Adam Christodoulou got his first taste of the Mazda-Cosworth-powered Swift 016.a utilized in the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda in a two-day test with Team Stargate Worlds at Buttonwillow Raceway on Thursday and Friday.

  The 20-year-old British driver logged nearly 400 miles over the two days in cool weather conditions aboard the same No. 78 machine that Simona De Silvestro piloted to four victories and third in points in the 2009 Atlantic Championship. The team, which is based at Buttonwillow, reported that Christodoulou managed to work up to speed quickly and rarely put a wheel wrong over the two days.

  “I was pleased,” said engineer Burke Harrison. “He was very consistent and obviously has a lot of raw talent. The conditions here weren’t great. There was very little off-track drama at all and the feedback was good. We made progress on the balance of the car, especially the second day. I thought it was a very good test. That’s the way I judge someone. We were trying stuff, we weren’t just driving around, putting new tires on and looking for a lap. We worked the day like you would a good test. He never got tired, the times were consistent, his feedback was good, he went out and got after it. All in all, it was a positive test.”

  After spending the early portion of his career in Europe, Christodoulou made the move to the U.S. and the Star Mazda championship in 2009, claiming the title with three victories and two pole positions from 13 starts. He won the championship over Peter Dempsey in dramatic fashion in the final race of the season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. As part of his prize for winning the Star Mazda title, Christodoulou receives a free ride in the 2010 Atlantic Championship – the top rung of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder – courtesy of Mazda.

  “It’s been really good,” Christodoulou said. “We never ran into and trouble and ended up just a fraction off Simona’s time around here, so I think for my second day in the car, it’s gone extremely well. The team did an awesome job. We didn’t have any problems on their part. I had one minor detour off the track, but apart from that, everything else ran smoothly. We’ve had two days of flat-out testing pretty much. It’s been quite cold, but it’s been some good testing and it’s been an enjoyable first experience in the Atlantic car. I’ve really enjoyed it.”

  After a break for the holidays, both Team Stargate Worlds and Christodoulou expect to hit the Atlantic testing trail hard early in the New Year. Both expect to participate in series-sanctioned testing at Sebring International Raceway on the weekend of January 22-24, 2010.

• 21st BRDC McLaren Autosport Award Winner To Be Named 6th Dec 2009

  Original article: Autosport.com

  One young driver will get the chance to test a McLaren Formula 1 car when the winner of the McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award is announced tonight.

  The 21st winner of the award get £50,000, full BRDC membership, and Puma racewear for a year, as well as the test with the multiple title-winning squad.

  Formula Renault UK stars James Calado and Dean Smith, American Star Mazda champion Adam Christodoulou, European F3 Open frontrunner Callum MacLeod, and British Formula Ford aces James Cole and Chrissy Palmer were chosen by a panel of judges to compete for the prize.

  The six drove Carlin Formula 3 Dallaras and a WSR BMW 320si British Touring Car on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit last month to be assessed. They also underwent fitness tests at the Porsche Human Performance Centre and interviews at McLaren’s Technology Centre in Woking.

  The winner will be announced at the AUTOSPORT Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London this evening.

  Former recipients of the award include reigning F1 world champion Jenson Button, former grand prix winner David Coulthard and IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti.

  This year’s judging panel included 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill and former McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winners Anthony Davidson and Jamie Green.

• Adam Christodoulou signs up for Celebrity Karting Challenge 30th Nov 2009

  Article from: Crash.net

  David Brabham’s Celebrity Karting Challenge 2010 at Autosport International on Friday 15 January, primarily in aid of Malaria No More UK, is shaping up to be one of the best yet with two more former F1 stars, Anthony Davison and Allan McNish, joining the bill.

  Held for the first time in Autosport International’s Live Action Arena, the unique charity kart race is attracting an unrivalled line-up of international motorsport stars to race head-to-head with members of the public on a challenging new circuit at the NEC Birmingham.

  With the entry list reading like the who’s who in motorsport worldwide, the Celebrity Karting Challenge has become an annual mission for each motorsport formula to prove who boasts the best drivers. The pre-season friendly will attract former F1 stars and drivers from single-seaters to touring cars, sportscars, rallying and karting.

  At the other end of the spectrum, these international stars will be racing alongside paying members of the public.

  “I’m really happy to be able to help out with David’s Celebrity Karting Challenge at Autosport International — the race is raising money for a very worthy cause by doing something we all enjoy. It should be a great event and I hope it gets lots of support,” said Davidson.

  A much-valued long-term supporter of the Celebrity Karting Challenge, confirmation of McNish’s return for the 2010 battle alongside Dindo Capello and Emanuele Pirro completes the awe-inspiring Audi Sport trio that share 10 Le Mans 24 Hours victories between them.

  McNish said: “I am pleased to be able to support David’s charity kart race in aid of Malaria No More UK and I’m really looking forward to the inevitable competition. You can just imagine what the entertainment will be like with a track full of racing stars racing in karts after the long winter break.

  “It is all for a good cause and the event is a great concept, with fans and stars competing with and against each other at Europe’s biggest motorsport show. I cannot think of a more enjoyable way to get into shape for the new season.”

  DTM ace Paul di Resta, sportscar star Johnny Mowlem, A1GP team driver Danny Watts and 2009 Star Mazda Champion Adam Christodoulou are just some of the latest celebrities to also confirm their support alongside Amanda Stretton, Katherine Legge, Robbie Kerr, Duncan Tappy, Andrew Kirkaldy, Tim Mullen, Linda Playfair, Paul O’Niell, Tom Onslow-Cole and BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year nominee Sarah Moore.

  Some of the sport’s most promising future racing champions are also preparing for battle including Racing Steps Foundation drivers Oliver Turvey, Jack Harvey, James Calado and Graham Sharp, while ‘Karting Guru’ Martin Hines will be joined by fellow British Superkart team drivers Thomas Johansson, James O’Reilly and Trevor Roberts. Further karting stars include Jordan Chamberlain, Ben Cooper, Robert Foster-Jones and Jason Parrott.

  No fewer than 20 teams, each featuring four celebrity and two paying public drivers, will battle for the 2010 Celebrity Karting Challenge. The action starts from 3pm on Friday 15 January at Autosport International, with practice followed by qualifying for one nominated driver from each team.

  The 90 minute endurance race will take place on a specially constructed kart circuit designed by Apex Circuit Design, specialists in FIA and CIK approved racing facilities, who have devised tracks worldwide including the 5.4km Dubai Autodrome and 1.2km Kartdrome and, most recently, the new French Formula One circuit at Flins-Les-Mureaux near Paris.

  The new Apex-designed 402metre circuit at the NEC will feature 10 challenging corners that will test both the experienced professional and novice public driver alike, offering an even playing field for the race which will unfold in the 5000 seater Live Action Arena.

  Members of the public can join the action and race alongside their racing heroes for just £300. The charity entrance fee also includes two entrance tickets to Autosport International, on what is an exclusive trade day. Book your public place now by contacting Bill Williams at bill@racing4charity.com or call 0044 (0)7712 578263. The latest race information can be found at www.racing4charity.com

• Christodoulou Races 24 Hours For Children In Need 24th Nov 2009

  On Friday 20th November I took park in a 24 hour car race for Children in Need 2009. But this was a race with a twist – my 24 hours wasn’t spent in a real race car, it was all done in a simulator.

  The event was held down in Southampton at the Race Centre Driver’s Challenge, and when I first walked in, I was hit by how dark the room was. Around the edge of the room there were ten driving simulator pods each with steering wheel, earphones, pedals, racing seat and huge 2.4m projector screens.

  I was racing for Team Autosport. After being nominated for the McLaren Autosport Awards, I have recently been through a series of tests and interviews where I will get the chance to win a Test day in a F1 McLaren and sponsorship towards my racing in 2010. The results will be due in early December at the Autosport Awards in London; motorsport’s biggest awards event.

  My team was made up by Tiff Needell, and a presenter from the BBC News team, who took part in just the first hour of racing, then it was down to myself, James Calado, Harry Tincknell and my cousin Riki Christodoulou as we raced against teams from the likes of McLaren, Virgin and Porsche. With over ten drivers per team so it wasn’t going to be easy… especially during the night.

  The race began at 1pm on Friday, and we were racing 2006 Audi R8 Le Mans cars around Mazda Laguna Seca for 24 hours, the track where I won my last race and the American Star Mazda Championship.

  Tiff Needell and the BBC presenter were first to get behind the wheel, and at this early stage we were racing in 9th place. Then in the following order, James, Harry, myself and Riki took to the wheel, each doing one hour stints. We soon were up to 5th position and things were looking good. The simulator proved to be extremely hard and it was very easy to over-drive the simulator as you don’t get much of a sensation for speed, G forces or feeling throughout the car, but the Logitech technology steering wheel and pedals gave you force feedback especially thought the steering wheel, providing a resistance during turning and movement over different track surfaces, kerbs ect, this helped with reactions and understanding how the car was responding.

  The software we used was ‘R Factor’, a popular simulator software in America and in the racing world. It’s amazing how realistic all the technology was. On the screen we could see the current fuel load, tyre temperatures, tyre wear, damage, engine and oil temperatures, data logging, GPS, G-forces, lap times, sector times… it’s also possible to do setup changes, but in our case each of the cars were setup identically for the race.

  As we approached midnight, each of us were doing half hour stints as this was the maximum amount of time that fuel would last between pit stops and also to keep us fresh and alert. We got into 4th position only two laps behind Team Virgin who were in 3rd, and with the simulator screens being so dark (the sky adjusted to the real time of day) it left pretty much a pitch black view with only a small area lit up to see where you were going. By this stage plenty of people were getting tired and starting to make lots of mistakes, but this is where we started to perform. Just by keeping it on the track we progressed well as the biggest loss of time was going off-track and getting into a spin. Everyone’s lap times were a lot slower during this time and you felt like you were using quite a bit of guess work for the corners.

  We all had brought our sleeping bags and there were body’s scattered across the floor of the race centre with people trying to get some rest between driving stints. It’s quite strange trying to sleep during a race. Even though it was only on a simulator, your adrenaline is going and of course you want to watch every lap just so you don’t miss anything. I think the most amount of sleep any of us got from my team was about three hours, but thankfully the Race Centre had facilities for food to keep everyone going even during the night. At one stage I woke up to some one getting a bit over-excited and shouting some rather entertaining words after a particularly big crash or spin. Even though it was all for charity and all a lot of fun, it didn’t stop people letting the competition get serious at times. No one wanted to drop their guard.

  By morning we’d move up again, and were now in 3rd with a five lap gap to 4th place. Things were looking good. We had completed 18 hours and now had only six to go. As we carried on with our 30 minutes stints, the screens were starting to brighten up with the emergence of day light, and everyone was completing quick track times again.

  By the last hour we remained comfortable in 3rd, everything seemed under control, until everyone encountered a technical fault, and the simulators stopped for a few minutes. When we got back underway again, everyone began with a standing start, and it became like a sprint race compare to what we had been doing the past 23 hours. We took it in turns to do 15 minutes each, and with a significant gap to 4th position we knew we weren’t under threat.

  At 1pm on Saturday we completed the final lap and it seemed pretty emotional. After 24 hours of solid racing it was all over, we finished on the podium collecting a trophy for 3rd place, completing 972 laps within 30 laps of the winner. Team Autosport also managed to collect the fastest lap time as well, with a 1.11.549.

  I have to say congratulations to all the teams and all who competed in the event, everyone did a great job. Between all the teams we managed to raise over £7,000 for Children in Need through the participation, auction and event sponsorship.

• Adam Christodoulou Nominated For McLaren Autosport Award 19th Oct 2009

  The six finalists for this year’s McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award have been announced and for a second year running includes the 2009 Star Mazda Champion, Adam Christodoulou.

  The other five finalists are Formula Renault UK champion Dean Smith and runner-up James Calado, British Formula Ford champion James Cole and rival Chrissy Palme and European Formula 3 Open racer Callum MacLeod.

  Adam and the other nominees will go to Silverstone next month to be assessed in a variety of single-seater and tin-top machinery by an expert judging panel that includes 1996 Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill, ex-F1 racer Anthony Davidson, McLaren’s head of vehicle engineering Mark Williams, DTM star Jamie Green, veteran commentator Ian Titchmarsh and AUTOSPORT’S Marcus Pye and Kevin Turner.

  There will also be a fitness test at Porsche’s Human Performance Centre, based at Silverstone.

  The winner, who will be revealed at the Autosport Awards in London on Sunday December 6, will be awarded £50,000, a McLaren F1 test drive, full BRDC membership, and Puma racewear for a year.

  Former winners of the award include current world championship leader Jenson Button, 13-time grand prix winner David Coulthard, Davidson, Green, and IndyCar star Dario Franchitti.

  (Original article: autosport.com)

• Christodoulou wraps up Championship at Laguna Seca with a Win 19th Oct 2009

  Sitting in second place and looking at an uphill battle in the final race of the season, Molecule Racing’s Adam Christodoulou drove a flawless race in the #11 Molecule Labs / Miller Milling / Alpinestarts / JDC MotorSports Pro Formula Mazda to close out the season with a victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and captured the championship as fellow championship contender Peter Dempsey retired from the event with a mechanical failure.

  “We came into the weekend in a bit of a hole but we never gave up and the whole team kept pressing on throughout the weekend,” Adam explained. “We had built up a large enough points lead that a minimum of second place was guaranteed so I could focus all my efforts on attacking for the victory and doing everything possible to climb the podium. As I came out of that last corner I could see my team hanging over the wall waving me home and I was screaming in the radio as I crossed the finish line to take the title. It’s the best feeling in the world, knowing that you’ve completed something you have been working so hard for all year long”

  The chase to the championship would be a battle throughout the weekend, with Saturday morning’s qualifying session being a microcosm of the entire season as Christodoulou and Demspey dueled back and forth for the pole position with first Adam on top before Dempsey grabbed the spot on the final lap by 0.02 seconds.

  “Things had been looking really well in qualifying as my teammate Alex Ardoin and I were exchanging fast laps and as time was winding down I was on top of the charts,” Adam said. “With two minutes to go I was still fastest and looking strong for the pole position and everything was well until Peter produced a time two-hundredths faster than mine. This was not good. He had just extended his lead another point going into the race meaning I had to win and he had to finish 9 or worse for me to grab the championship. This was really frustrating for me as I knew two-hundredths was nothing, faster than you can blink an eye.”

  With the race swiftly approaching Adam set aside any frustration and visualized the start of the 45-minute timed race. When the lights turned green for the final standing start Chrostodoulou and Dempsey rocketed down towards turn two, with Ardoin joining the fight for the lead as well. Ardoin would get the inside line and take the lead with Christodoulou sliding into second and Dempsey falling to third as the cars approached the famed “Corkscrew” of Mazda Raceway.

  “Alex was leading the race and by the time we had got to turn six we had already pulled a gap. Alex ran wide going up the hill towards the cork screw and I thought about passing but it’s a risky corner for a pass and there’s a big chance of making contact with how tight the corner is,” Adam elaborated. “This exact scenario happened to Peter Dempsey as Joel Miller went for the overtaking move on the 1 lap into the cork screw and they made contact. Peter spun and dropped to last place before rejoining the circuit.

  Things were looking up for me, but at this point I had no clue on what was happening behind me so I was pushing in 2 place and made a slight mistake in turn six myself two laps later. I went off course sliding towards the barriers but dragged it back on track not losing any positions. I caught Alex back up and I could see Caio behind me, the perfect scenario knowing I was safe with my teammates either side of me.”

  The championship battle would turn over at the halfway point of the race as Demspey was forced to retire from the event from the damage sustained in the incident. At that point the pressure changed on Christodoulou as it became a matter of making sure he brought the car home to capture the crown, as he explained, “We got to turn two and the yellow flag was being show for a car off course, as I was exiting the corner there was the white, orange and green car of Peter Dempsey. I was shocked and on the next lap round my crew radioed in telling me all I had to do was finish. I couldn’t believe it, throughout the whole year Peter and I had been battling for the championship crown and there he was on the edge of the track. In a way I felt more pressure now, knowing it was down to me. Before I was just racing for the win, knowing it was down to Peter deciding where he was going to finish that would decide the championship, but now it was even more important than ever for me to finish.”

  With the laps winding down Christodoulou saw Miller closing in and pushed to take the lead and have a teammate protecting his flank, making an inside move in the final corner to assume the lead from Ardoin. Safely through he opened a small gap that he carried to the checkered flag and the title. “I can’t thank the JDC MotorSports crew enough for all their efforts this weekend and over the season and am proud to have been a part of this team that captured the Overall and Master Class Championships as well as the Team Championship,” Adam commented. “I’ve got to thank All the crew, and the drivers for an incredible year, it been a pleasure working with them all. I felt like the whole JDC team just gelled, there was never any tension throughout the whole team, we all got on famously. The best thing is we didn’t just race with each other, we all worked together, we travelled together, went out together and completed 2009 together. It’s not just about one driver. It’s about a whole team, and that’s what I had backing me for us to win this championship.”

  “Specifically I need to thank John, Katie and Sophie Church; Rick Cameron, my engineer; Dave Hopple, my mechanic; Mike Guasch and Molecule for supporting me this year, and capturing the Masters Class Championship; Gerry Kraut, part owner of JDC motorsports, for becoming Vice-Champion in the Masters class; my team mates Alex Ardoin, Caio Lara, and Chris Miller; and Gary Rodrigues and everyone from the Star Mazda Championship for an awesome Year.”

  Christodoulou also had high praise for his fellow championship contender, stating, “I’ve also got to say, well done to Peter Dempsey; it’s been a fun year pushing each other along the way, battling with him for the title. It’s defiantly been a hard season and it was unfortunate for him to finish the year this way, I hope to see him back racing soon.”

  Christodoulou wrapped up the season with three victories, nine podium finishes, eleven top-five finishes, and two pole positions in the thirteen race championship, capturing the title with 473 points to Dempsey’s 461 points.

  In winning the 2009 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear Adam will receive a funded ride in the 2010 Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda as part of the Mazdaspeed Motorsports Driver Development program. In addition to the funded ride he received an additional check for $100,000 as series champion and $10,000 for the Rookie-of-the-Year honours.