The packed out field of GB4 rising stars will put on a show at Oulton Park this weekend, with 29 young drivers representing 12 different nations set to do battle across the triple header. The mega grid will be the largest contemporary slicks and wings line-up on the full international circuit at Oulton Park since the season opener for the British F3 Championship back in 2007!
After a drama-filled season opener, Elite Motorsport’s McLaren-backed contender Fred Green leads the standings. The 16-year-old Brit claimed two wins at the Silverstone season opener to steal the early advantage, holding a 10-point margin to Hillspeed’s Super Swede Enzo Hallman. The series returnee secured his first podium of the campaign at the home of the British Grand Prix and was a winner at Oulton Park in dramatic circumstances last year.
Formula Ford graduate Jason Smyth is a point behind in third having also taken a podium for Douglas Motorsport during his maiden slicks and wings racing weekend, while GB4 sophomore Alex O’Grady was on the podium straight away. KMR Sport’s Irishman sits fourth in the standings behind his compatriot.
Dayton Coulthard was the second driver to claim a win at Silverstone, watched on by Grand Prix racer father David Coulthard, and he ensures that Douglas Motorsport are the only team with two drivers currently inside the top-five.
Thomas Ingram Hill is the led Fortec runner in sixth after banking two top four results at the season opener, with Elite’s Matan Achituv, GB4’s first Israeli, seventh having ended his GB4 debut on the podium.
Pace Performance’s Josh McLean enjoyed one of his best GB4 race weekends in his career so far and is eighth heading to Oulton Park, a couple of points clear of Hillspeed’s American Connor Willis who was in the top-10 throughout the first rounds.
Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing’s Luke Hilton completes the early top-10. The 18-year-old had been set to start from pole position from the first two races, only to lose that honour after yellow flag violations in qualifying. Even so, he blasted from 29th and last on the grid to eighth, 11th and 20th across the three events.
Venezuelan Emmilio Valentino Del Grosso claimed an emotional podium on his GB4 debut for Elite Motorsport, while Frenchman Romuald Bocquet was the on the road winner in race three for Scorpio Motorsport, before a jump start penalty dropped him down the order.
His teammate Archie Davies did secure a podium finish however, while Pace’s Torrin Byrne claimed two ninth place finishes during his single-seater debut.
The third Pace machine of John O’Donnell is next up ahead of Fortec’s Polish newcomer Franciszek Cegielski who is the highest-placed Rookie driver as things stand.
Irishman Conor Grant (Douglas), and Arden Motorsport duo Charlie Myers and American-Singaporean Michael Koh are also in the battle for Rookie honours.
KMR Sport’s vastly improved Lily-May Watkins is the top placed female contender at the moment – the highest scoring girl on this year’s grid will earn a €50,000 career contribution prize towards a potential seat in next year’s F1 Academy series.
Saudi Arabian contender Jasser Iskander, like his Fox Motorsport teammates, is another gunning for honours in the Rookie division, and he’s equal on points with Nitrous ADM’s Caitlyn McDaniel, another to demonstrate significant improvements compared to last year.
McDaniel’s fellow American Jordyn Martin (Fortec) and French contender Solenn Amrouche (Arden) are giving chase to Watkins in the race for female honours, as is her teammate Holly Miall.
Fox Motorsport’s South African Enzo Rujugiro and Hillspeed’s American Demitri Nolan both secured points at Silverstone, while Idola’s Jamie Leverton and Fox’s Archie Bullard continue to make strong pace improvements as they step out of karting into single-seaters.
The GB4 paddock is open all weekend, meaning fans can meet the aspiring F1 stars of the future, while a dedicated autograph session will be held on the main Monday raceday, so get those autograph pens and selfie cameras ready! Keep an eye on the championship social media feeds for exact timings.
Meanwhile in the teams’ standings, Douglas Motorsport leads the way, with Wayne Douglas' squad holding a 20-point advantage to Hillspeed heading into this weekend’s action.
This weekend's action starts with qualifying at 11.05. The slightly extended 20-minute session for this weekend's event plays a part in the formation of all three grids. Each driver’s quickest laps will determine the race one grid, with second fastest times deciding the race two line-up. The quickest 12 drivers are reversed on the grid for the event finale on Sunday afternoon, with the remainder of the pack lining up behind them in their qualifying order.
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Oulton Park entry list:
3. Alex O'Grady, KMR Sport, Irish
4. Jamie Leverton, Idola Motorsport, British
5. Emmilio Valentino Del Grosso, Elite Motorsport, Venezuelan
6. Demitri Nolan, Hillspeed, American
7. Enzo Hallman, Hillspeed, Swedish
8. Thomas Ingram Hill, Fortec Motorsports, British
9. Romuald Bocquet, Scorpio Motorsport, French
11. Franciszek Cegielski, Fortec Motorsports, Polish
15. Lily-May Watkins, KMR Sport, British
17. John O'Donnell, Pace Performance, Korean-American
18. Torrin Byrne, Pace Performance, British
22. Charlie Myers, Arden Motorsport, British
23. Holly Miall, KMR Sport, British
24. Michael Koh, Arden Motorsport, American-Singaporean
26. Jason Smyth, Douglas Motorsport, Irish
28. Dayton Coulthard, Douglas Motorsport, British
33. Jasser Iskander, Fox Motorsport, Saudi Arabian
35. Caitlyn McDaniel, Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing, American
36. Enzo Rujugiro, Fox Motorsport, South African
42. Luke Hilton, Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing, British
48. Archie Bullard, Fox Motorsport, British
51. Fred Green, Elite Motorsport, British
54. Conor Grant, Douglas Motorsport, Irish
76. Josh McLean, Pace Performance, British
77. Matan Achituv, Elite Motorsport, Israeli
87. Archie Davies, Scorpio Motorsport, British
88. Jordyn Martin, Fortec Motorsports, American
95. Solenn Amrouche, Arden Motorsport, French
99. Connor Willis, Hillspeed, American