Fortec Motorsport’s Jack Taylor claimed his first GB4 Championship partnered by the BRDC pole position at Silverstone this morning (Saturday). Not only was his best effort enough to top the times outright, but his next best time was also enough to secure pole for the second race of the weekend too.
Taylor emerged top in an intensely fought 15-minute session around the F1 venue’s full Grand Prix layout, throughout which the identity of the provisional pole sitter changed numerous times and the top-18 were covered by less than a second.
Isaac Phelps of Elite Motorsport was the first to sit at the head of the order, following an initial flurry of efforts before the fight intensified midway through the session. Leon Wilson was next to move top and it was during this middle part when Taylor first loomed into contention, just a small way behind Wilson.
The fight for pole then seemed for a little while as it could be decided in a duel between Thomas Ingram Hill and Alex Kattoulas who moved into the top two spots as qualifying moved towards its latter stages, exchanging lap times as the provisional pole sitter continued to change.
Kattoulas was quickest with just four minutes remaining but then Taylor made his move, surging around the famous circuit in 2m01.221s to set a time that wouldn’t be beaten. Ingram Hill looked for a moment as he might challenge that, just missing out with a time 59 thousandths away, but this was latter removed for a track limits infringement.
That put Wilson second as the chequered flag emerged, but there was to be late drama in the hunt for a front row spot. Whilst Taylor wouldn’t be beaten for first, GB4 debutant Arjen Kräling came from nowhere to steal second on his final lap to demote Wilson to third. Kattoulas was forced to settle for fourth, one place ahead of Dayton Coulthard who rose up the order late on to secure a top-five position.
After losing his late time Ingram Hill ended up sixth, just one spot ahead of early session pace setter Phelps. Leandro Juncos, Ary Bansal and Stefan Bostandjiev completed the top-10 behind that.
A little further back, championship leader Dan Guinchard was forced to pit with an issue with several minutes still to run. This left him 17th with ground to make up if he’s to maintain his points advantage across the rest of the weekend.
Taylor also topped the second fastest time standings, after running just over a tenth faster than Kattoulas who benefitted from his session-long pace to take second. Wilson completed the top-three in the secondary standings ahead of Ingram Hill and Phelps.
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Silverstone qualifying provisional result:
1. Jack Taylor, Fortec Motorsport, 2m01.221s
2. Arjen Kraling, Douglas Motorsport, +0.100s
3. Leon Wilson, Arden Motorsport, +0.103s
4. Alex Kattoulas, Elite Motorsport, +0.107s
5. Dayton Coulthard, Douglas Motorsport, +0.343s
6. Thomas Ingram Hill, Fortec Motorsport, +0.371s
7. Isaac Phelps, Elite Motorsport, +0.388s
8. Leandro Juncos, Hillspeed, +0.471s
9. Ary Bansal, Elite Motorsport, +0.518s
10. Stefan Bostandjiev, Pace Performance, +0.574s
11. Enzo Hallman, Douglas Motorsport, +0.589s
12. Jason Pribyl, ASM, +0.617s
13. Luca Magnussen, Fortec Motorsport, +0.710s
14. Joshua McLean, Pace Performance, +0.574s
15. Alex O’Grady, KMR Sport, +0.762s
16. Ava Dobson, Arden Motorsport, +0.768s
17. Dan Guinchard, Hillspeed, +0.818s
18. Callum Baxter, GBR, +0.980s
19. Mayer Deonarine, GBR, +1.376s
20. Megan Bruce, KMR Sport, +1.563s
21. Dudley Ruddock, Arden Motorsport, +2.886s
22. Lily-May Watkins, KMR Sport, +2.931s
23. Holly Miall, Fox Motorsport, +2.985s
24. Flame Airikkalla, Pace Performance, +3.481s
25. Caitlyn McDaniel, Fox Motorsport, +4.600s
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Silverstone, provisional second fastest qualifying result (race two grid):
1. Jack Taylor, Fortec Motorsport, 2m01.284s
2. Alex Kattoulas, Elite Motorsport, +0.124s
3. Leon Wilson, Arden Motorsport, +0.,182s
4. Thomas Ingram Hill, Fortec Motorsport, +0.409s
5. Isaac Phelps, Elite Motorsport, +0.448s
6. Arjen Kraling, Douglas Motorsport, +0.452s
7. Dayton Coulthard, Douglas Motorsport, +0.548s
8. Jason Pribyl, ASM, +0.606s
9. Joshua McLean, Pace Performance, +0.665s
10. Ary Bansal, Elite Motorsport, +0.710s
11. Alex O’Grady, KMR Sport, +0.721s
12. Luca Magnussen, Fortec Motorsport, +0.724s
13. Enzo Hallman, Douglas Motorsport, +0.725s
14. Leandro Juncos, Hillspeed, +0.762s
15. Callum Baxter, GBR, +0.932s
16. Ava Dobson, Arden Motorsport, +1.137s
17. Stefan Bostandjiev, Pace Performance, +1.161s
18. Mayer Deonarine, GBR, +1.320s
19. Megan Bruce, KMR Sport, +1.571s
20. Dudley Ruddock, Arden Motorsport, +2.877s
21. Dan Guinchard, Hillspeed, +3.025s
22. Holly Miall, Fox Motorsport, +3.106s
23. Flame Airikkalla, Pace Performance, +4.146s
24. Lily-May Watkins, KMR Sport, +4.234s
25. Caitlyn McDaniel, Fox Motorsport, +4.818s
