Second place finishes in both Renault-backed B4 Group / MSA Formula A championship finals at Shenington, Banbury yesterday were enough secure Litchfield the top title in UK karting. His season had a shaky start with poor finishes at the season opener, but a double win at PF International kart circuit in April and a string of podium finishes paid off in the final reckoning.
Just four points covered the top four drivers in the championship, once the best 10 results of 12 races were considered. A win and fifth place finish at Shenington put Riki Christodoulou (Sutton Coldfield) equal on points with 2003 champion Gary Catt (Andover) and Jason Parrott (Crowland, Peterborough).
Christodoulou claimed second place in the championship because he lost the most points under the dropped score system. Catt was third and early season points leader Parrott was fourth.
Barely a lap of the first final race at Shenington passed without a fresh twist to the championship battle as the top four drivers battled it out wheel to wheel. Christodoulou made a remarkable charge from 13th on the grid to lead the race by lap 13, but was overhauled by Catt and dropped to 5th when a brave move at Bruno chicane didn’t pay off.
Equally inspired was Chris Rogers’ (Waltham Cross, Herts) climb from 14th to fourth. With Gary Catt winning the first final, Mark Litchfield second and Jason Parrott third, all within half a second of each other, everything was still to play for in the second final.
Christodoulou won the second points-scoring race from fifth on the grid, opening up a comfortable lead while his championship rivals continued to fight it out behind him. Litchfield took second place and the championship with a four point lead, with Catt third and Parrott fourth after a prolonged four way battle.
Formula A Provisional Driver Standings:
1st Mark Litchfield, 467pts; 2nd Riki Christodoulou 463pts; 3rd Gary Catt, 463pts; 4th Jason Parrott 463pts; 5th Chris Rogers 446pts; 6th David Gregory 425pts.
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