AKA Cobra returns to a four-pronged attack as it ramps up preparation for the 2007 Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship. Having entered just three cars for the majority of the 2006 season, this year marks a return to a four-car line-up from round one at Brands Hatch Indy.
Jeremy Metcalfe (Fleet, Hants) returns to the Leicestershire-based team for a second season, his third in all in the premier single-seater category. After debuting in 2005, last season saw the 18-year-old mark himself out as a possible title contender. Four podiums and a total of 11 top-six finishes, together with two stunning wet-weather drives at Oulton Park packed with overtaking, resulted in a fifth-placed finish overall.
Adam Christodoulou (Lichfield, Staffs) enters his first full season of car racing after making his debut with the team in the 2006 Formula Renault UK Winter Series, where he finished 10th overall. The 17-year-old, cousin of Fortec Motorsport driver Riki Christodoulou (Sutton Coldfield), boasts an impressive list of karting titles.
Chris Holmes (Ilkley, Yorkshire) is making the step up from the Formula BMW series. Turning 20-years-old on 7th February, Holmes is preparing to make his mark on the UK motorsport scene after finishing 13th overall in 2006 racing for Mackie Motorsport.
The fourth member of the team is Australian driver Nathan Caratti (London) whose career to this point has focused on Formula Ford racing in Australia. The 21-year-old Perth native is the 2004 Western Australia State Formula Ford champion and he has finished seventh in the Australian Formula Ford Championship in each of the last two seasons with a host of podium finishes.
Commenting as the team officially confirmed its place in the Formula Renault UK paddock for a fourth year of racing, Team Manager Andrew Kirkaldy said: “I’m very happy with the driver line-up we have for this season and it’s good to be able to run a four-car team. We have had four cars on-track at races before so I know the team has the ability to cope and hopefully we’ll be in for a good year.
“The thing about our drivers is that they are all so evenly matched and it’s going to be interesting to watch them compete against each other. Obviously they all want to be the quickest out there and the fact they are looking so close in testing will most likely spur them on to greater things. â€
Ownership of AKA Cobra is now shared between Kirkaldy, his sports car racing team-mate Chris Niarchos and the team’s Chief Engineer Paul Jackson.
AKA Cobra is continuing an intensive testing programme ahead of the first official Formula Renault UK test at Rockingham on 1st/2nd March. Rounds one and two of the championship are at Brands Hatch Indy circuit on 31st March /1st April.
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