The GB4 Championship heads to Silverstone this weekend, with a joint-record high of 16 drivers entered for the second race event of the year.
Young Scotsman Harry Burgoyne leads the grid of F1 hopefuls heading to the home of the British Grand Prix, having claimed his first three GB4 podiums as he started his sophomore campaign in fine style at Oulton Park on Easter weekend.
Two second places and a fighting drive to third means the 16-year-old has an 18-point buffer to Fortec’s Swede Linus Granfors, who somewhat amazingly went from last, after a first lap spin, to victory in the final race of the opening weekend.
Granfors is five points clear of Burgoyne’s teammate Brandon McCaughan. The Irish racer won the GB4 Shoot Out last year, and put his £20,000 prize money to good effect with two pole positions, a podium and then a win.
Fox Motorsport’s Branden Templeton claimed a podium finish during his first ever car racing event, and sits fourth in the early standings. He’s ahead of fellow Brit Alisha Palmowski, who stole the headlines as she propelled her Elite Motorsport car to a sensational victory in the first race of the year, demonstrating not just her outright speed, but exceptional consistency too.
Graham Brunton Racing’s Canadian Callum Baxter is next up, taking two fourth places in Cheshire and showing impressive speed along the way, while the third KMR Sport car of Chloe Grant is seventh heading to Silverstone. The former F1 Academy racer claimed her first slicks and wings podium in the final race, having led for several laps too.
Arden’s Leon Wilson was another to make a car racing debut last time out, and earned two sixth place finishes as his best results. Fortec’s Dan Hickey and Fox Motorsport’s Megan Bruce complete the top-10 runners, and are tied on points.
Privateer Marcus Luzio was the third contender to debut in car racing at Oulton, and was straight inside the top-10 in two races, with Fortec’s Aussie Jack Taylor and young Canadian Mayer Deonarine were strong performers during their first taste of UK competition.
Elite’s Finn Harrison will look to get off the mark this weekend, the Ginetta Junior graduate was rapid at Oulton Park but had no luck, especially after challenging for victory in race two.
The GB4 grid expands to 16 cars this weekend with the return of Christian Lester in his Rossoverde Racing entry, while Dutchman Bas Visser makes his series debut with Graham Brunton Racing, with the Scottish team reaching a three car capacity.
At least 17 cars should participate in testing on Thursday and Friday however, with Flame Airikkala back in the Preptech UK car as she continues her driver development programme.
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Silverstone entry list:
#5 Christian Lester, Rossoverde Racing
#9 Megan Bruce, Fox Motorsport
#11 Marcus Luzio, Luzio.com
#16 Linus Granfors, Fortec Motorsport
#17 Dan Hickey, Fortec Motorsport
#21 Alisha Palmowski, Elite Motorsport
#24 Branden Templeton, Fox Motorsport
#27 Leon Wilson, Arden Motorsport
#38 Finn Harrison, Elite Motorsport
#44 Mayer Deonarine, Graham Brunton Racing
#45 Callum Baxter, Graham Brunton Racing
#48 Bas Visser, Graham Brunton Racing
#50 Jack Taylor, Fortec Motorsport
#66 Chloe Grant, KMR Sport
#68 Harry Burgoyne, KMR Sport
#89 Brandon McCaughan, KMR Sport
