Hagerty Radical Cup UK Champion Theo Micouris : Dominant Debut Season in Car Racing
October 4, 2023
Theo Micouris' journey into motorsport commenced at the age of seven with karting, driven by his father's passion for cars. His father's mechanical engineering background, particularly with performance cars, played a significant role in nurturing Theo's enthusiasm and understanding of the technical aspects in racing.
“It all began with my dad introducing me to karting at a very young age. He had a passion for motorsport and had worked extensively on performance cars in the past. Whilst he didn't have the opportunity to pursue motorsport himself, he saw the potential in me and nurtured my passion for motor racing. He has been a massive help in guiding me throughout my journey in motorsport.”
Theo’s karting began with "Arrive & Drive" Bambino karts at Daytona in Milton Keynes. Shortly after his 8th birthday he passed his MSA ARKS racing license and began racing in Honda Cadet. Since then he has been racing all over the country at national level and honing his skills as a driver. He has accumulated countless wins and podiums, achieving his first MSA championship aged just 9. Since then he has gone on to win a further 7 championships and in 2019 became Vice British Champion in the MiniX30 class. His success in karting led to being selected by Motorsport UK to represent the UK in the FiA Karting Academy Championship, where a close season-long battle culminated in Theo finishing joint 3rd on points.
Sim racing has also played a pivotal role in honing Theo's skills as a racing driver off the track, starting with Gran Turismo on the PlayStation where he competed in professional events and become the European, Middle East, and Africa Champion. Nowadays spending time on more advanced simulation titles provides a platform for honing his skills further and maintaining freshness off the track. Theo currently holds the top spot on the leaderboard at the Radical Esports Experience at the Silverstone Museum, and on Radical’s own simulator at Donington Park Circuit.
The Motorsport UK Academy has provided invaluable support and training for Theo, including media skills, sponsor acquisition, fitness, and classroom-based education, as well as an opportunity to network with other young drivers. A previous graduate of the Motorsport UK Academy was 2022 Radical Cup SR1 Champion Daryl DeLeon who often speaks highly of his Radical experience and was instrumental in introducing Theo to Radical. When the opportunity came to drive a Radical SR1 for the first time, Theo took full advantage and matched the pole time in his first session – proving he immediately had the pace to compete, and capturing the attention of both teams and sponsors alike.
On his debut race at Donington Park in April 2023 Theo claimed two wins from the opening three races, an ideal introduction to the Radical paddock and the start of his title campaign. Throughout the season Theo showed no signs of slowing down both on and off the track, his debut season in cars resulted in an incredible 9 wins, 17 podiums, 15 fastest laps, 3 SR1 lap records and of course the title of Radical SR1 Champion and Overall Radical Cup UK Champion 2023.
Going into the final round with a 154 points lead, Theo was given the chance to test the new Radical SR1 XXR launched earlier in 2023 to see how it compares to his first generation machine. “Straight out of the box the car feels perfectly balanced and immediately gives you confidence to keep pushing and pushing to see what it can do. It’s just as fun to drive as my car, but the XXR feels improved and more refined.”
The new Radical SR1 XXR represents the first update to Radical’s entry-level model in six years. Upgrades include a new fifth generation RPE racing specification engine, LMP-inspired ‘central fin’, and further durability updates resulting in more time on track. Since the model’s inception in 2012, the SR1 has been favoured by hundreds of drivers, as an entry-level, first step into racing a Radical. Ideal for enthusiasts looking to take their circuit driving to the next level with a track-focused, downforce-derived racing car, yet with two seats and semi-slick tyres.
