I am two rounds into the 2022 GB3 Championship, and, to say the least, it’s been a steep learning curve.
Firstly, a few words on Oulton Park over the Easter weekend. I had done a few days of testing there in the lead-up to the first round and having raced there in Ginetta Juniors, I know the track, albeit not as well as some of my competitors. Nevertheless, I felt relatively confident and was pleased to qualify fourth for my first ever GB3 – indeed first ever single-seater – race.
Unfortunately, that was the highlight of the weekend as things went a bit south after that. On the first lap of race 1, I had a clash with my teammate, and although it wasn’t deemed my fault, it broke my front wing which then led to a coming together with another car – which was deemed my fault. I did manage to re-join the race after an unscheduled pitstop for a new wing, and still managed to get the second fastest lap, but my race was effectively over. Anyway, neither incident was malicious, and certainly not intentional, but the stewards had their say and I was penalised several grid places for the start of race 2.
From then on, honestly speaking, the weekend was just a damage limitation, and I was relieved to finish both race 2 and the reverse-grid race 3 without further incident, damage or contact. Indeed, for race 3, I didn’t even get the advantage of starting near the front as it is based on the reverse of race 1, so, starting almost at the back, I just wanted to survive the narrow Oulton Park circuit and try and pick up a few places.
I’m pleased to say that round two at Silverstone was far more positive with top ten finishes in all 3 races. I have to say that driving the full GP circuit at Silverstone in a GB3 is amazing. You can exploit the full potential of the car on the wide, Formula 1-quality track. I’m so pleased we will be returning there later in the year. The extra aero and power of the GB3 cars this season mean faster lap times than in the past, to the point that the GB3s were the fastest cars there, lapping quicker than the GT3 cars we shared the billing with.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t plain sailing all weekend. I qualified tenth for race 1, a little disappointing as I wanted to be higher up the grid, but I maintained that position to the chequered flag for my first ever Silverstone GP race (previously I’ve only ever raced the shorter National circuit). For race 2, which is based on your second quickest qualifying time, I started seventh and managed to move up to fifth, which, for me, was a good achievement against some seriously quick and experienced single-seater drivers.
For the reverse-grid race 3, the original tenth place qualifying helped (sort of), as I started mid-grid and worked my way up to eighth picking up the fastest lap of the race as a small bonus.
So, overall, quite a frenetic start to the Championship. It is seriously competitive this year, although I’m sure every year drivers will say that, the number of experienced second and third-year drivers is impressive. But I’m pleased with how I improved over the two weekends, I’m pleased with my pace, and now look forward to Donington Park for Round 3 at the end of May.
On Donington, the layout will be the GP circuit with the extra chicane and hairpin. I have had a couple of test days there, but will also be sitting my GCSEs that week, so I will have to juggle academic life with practice sessions, meaning I won’t be there throughout. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to it and hopefully will continue to improve.
