JHR’s John Bennett wins from pole in GB3’s Zandvoort opener

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

JHR Developments’ John Bennett led from start to finish to record his second GB3 victory in the first race of the weekend at Zandvoort.

After starting from pole, Bennett covered off Hitech GP’s Tymek Kucharczyk to remain ahead into turn one. Points leader Louis Sharp prevailed in a battle with Rodin Motorsport team-mate James Hedley to maintain third as rain started to fall.

Bennett quickly pulled clear as drivers struggled for grip on a half-dry, half-damp circuit. Sharp was passed by Hedley on lap three, and then lost a further two positions on the next tour to Hitech’s Will Macintyre and Elite Motorsport’s McKenzy Cresswell.

Macintyre soon closed in on Hedley but slid wide and through the gravel at turn one, with Cresswell doing the same behind him, allowing Sharp to reclaim fourth. JHR’s Patrick Heuzenroeder then had a separate off further around the lap and retired, bringing out the safety car.

Bennett had built a three-second lead beforehand, and he continued to control proceedings after the restart to win by 1.138 seconds from Kucharczyk. Hedley held off Sharp to take the final podium spot, while Macintyre wrestled fifth away from Elite’s Hugo Schwarze on the penultimate lap.

Fortec Motorsports’ Colin Queen climbed from 14th on the grid to seventh, with Shawn Rashid also gaining seven places to finish eighth ahead of Velocity Racing Development by Arden team-mate Nikita Johnson and Elite’s Jarrod Waberski.

Cresswell retired in a late collision with VRD’s Noah Ping as the pair battled over ninth place, with Chris Dittmann Racing’s Seb Murray finding the barriers in separate incident.

Race results (11 laps)