Rivett claims Clio Winter title

Paul Rivett claimed his third UK Clio Cup title on 1 November, winning the 2003 Elf Renault Hill House Hammond Clio Winter Cup with a series of dominant performances that saw him victorious in three out of the four races.

For his troubles, the 2002 champion receives a fully paid entry in to next year's Clio Cup, which once again forms part of the TocaTour package, supporting the UK's premier tin-top racing series, the British Touring Car Championship.

Having won both of the opening rounds at Donington Park the previous weekend, Paul was hoping to seal the title in the opening race at Croft, but things did not go quite to plan. With the compact format of this year's winter series, qualifying and both races all took place on the Saturday. Qualifying, on a drying track saw Paul take pole position for the first race but he was pipped by Paul Maguire for race two, and so would from second position.

The first race got underway after a heavy rain shower, albeit on a drying track. With his sights set on taking the title, Paul was forced to follow the majority of drivers in terms of tyre choice, and so set off on grooved wet weather tyres. This was to prove the wrong decision as Nigel Feeney, the only runner to start the race on slicks, built up a considerable lead. Fighting the conditions on tyres that were far from ideal, Paul finished the race in 11th position.

Paul commented: "We couldn't take any risks with the championship to think about. I wanted to go on slicks, and nearly came in to change them at the end of the green flag lap, but decided against it in the end. I was hoping to wrap up the title in the first race but in the end it went down to race two."

The second race of the day was somewhat of a return to normality, as Paul led from race two, and in his own words, "cruised" to the chequered flag. "The track was still drying so I was being quite cautious and lifting around the back of the circuit, so I probably could have gone half a second a lap faster, but there was no need."

Paul and Boulevard Team Racing will now focus on the 2004 championship, which is scheduled to take place over 20 rounds, starting at Thruxton, Hampshire in early April next year.

NEXT RACES Clio Cup 2010 Rnds 17 & 18 Silverstone 18/19 Sep