Reigning champions join newcomer in Formula Renault UK

Last season’s Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship title winners are among a recent burst of entries for the 2009 championship. CRS Racing won the Drivers’ crown with Adam Christodoulou and has confirmed three of its expected four-car line-up. Fortec Motorsport, Entrants’ champion for the last three successive seasons, has registered two of its planned four drivers. Meanwhile, Hitech Junior Team has registered three drivers as it prepares for its debut season in the Formula Renault UK Championship.

Driving for CRS Racing, formerly known as CR Scuderia Formula Renault, will be Harry Tincknell (Sidmouth), Matias Laine and Lewis Williamson (Golspie), all of whom raced for the team in the 2008 Formula Renault UK Winter Cup. Tincknell, who will carry the number one earned by Christodoulou’s title win, finished seventh in the Winter Cup, with Williamson sixth and Laine in ninth. All three drivers have impressive karting credentials both in the UK and Europe and will expect to challenge for race wins.

Fortec Motorsport has confirmed the return of two of its drivers from the 2008 season, led by race-winner and Formula Renault UK Winter Cup champion James Calado (Cropthorne). The 19-year-old had an excellent debut year, after winning backing from the Racing Steps Foundation, taking a win at Snetterton on his way to seventh overall and second in the Graduate Cup. He then won both the UK and Iberian Formula Renault Winter Cup titles.

Oli Webb (Knutsford) finished just one place behind his team-mate in the 2008 Formula Renault UK standings after recording eight top-six finishes and will be pushing for the podium places in his second season in the championship.

Hitech Junior Team makes its debut in the summer Formula Renault UK Championship, having competed in the 2007 Winter Cup with Jon Lancaster and Marc Murray. For the 2009 season it has registered Nick Yelloly (Solihull), Hungarian Tamas Pal Kiss and Marlon Stockinger of the Philippines.

Yelloly raced in the 2008 Formula Renault UK Winter Cup, finishing 14th overall having raced to 8th place in KF1 Class of the MSA Renault Super One karting series. Pal Kiss finished as runner-up in the 2008 Hungarian Formula Renault Championship, while Stockinger was eighth overall, third in the Rookie Cup, in the 2008 Formula BMW Pacific Championship.

The first official Formula Renault UK Championship collective test takes place at Rockingham on 24th/25th February.