Granfors wins wild reversed-grid GB4 race, McCaughan and Palmowski retire

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Linus Granfors passed Chloe Grant on the final lap to take a maiden GB4 victory in an incident-filled race three at Oulton Park.

Conditions improved from earlier in the day, with all drivers fitting slick tyres for the start.

Dan Hickey overshot his grid spot as he lined up on reversed-grid pole, and after marshals pushed his car back into position the Fortec Motorsports driver led into turn one ahead of Graham Brunton Racing’s Mayer Deonarine. Marcus Luzio made a slow start from the front row and slipped to fourth behind KMR Sport’s Chloe Grant.

Starting from the back of the field, KMR’s race two winner Brandon McCaughan made up a couple of places at Old Hall bend but then spun off the road at Island Bend and retired, and Fortec’s Granfors also had a spin at Shell Oils hairpin.

Following a safety car period to retrieve McCaughan’s car, Hickey built a clear lead but then locked up and ran wide at Lodge. That allowed Grant, who had passed Deonarine for second, to draw alongside and take the lead into OId Hall.

A frenetic battle ensued behind, with Deonarine running into Hickey and damaging his front wing as Finn Harrison spun into retirement while trying to drive around the outside his Elite Motorsport team-mate Alisha Palmowski at Shell Oils. Hickey locked up again at Hislops and missed the corner, rejoining at the back of the field.

Having climbed from 12th and 13th on the grid respectively, KMR’s Harry Burgoyne Jr and Palmowski tried to battle past the ailing Deonarine while Grant pulled clear ahead.

Burgoyne eventually moved into second, and Palmowski then drew alongside Deonarine at Cascades but was collected by the Canadian, sending both cars flying off the road and out of the race.

Granfors moved past Burgoyne in the closing stages before eradicating a two-second deficit to Grant, and the Swede moved up the inside into Old Hall on the final lap to snatch the lead and then take the win by 1.215 seconds. Grant held off her team-mate Burgoyne at the chequered flag to complete KMR’s third double podium of the season-opening event.

GBR’s Callum Baxter recovered from a grid stall to finish fourth ahead of Fox Motorsport’s Branden Templeton, while Arden’s Leon Wilson posted the fastest lap on the final tour en route to sixth. Fox’s Megan Bruce was seventh ahead of Fortec’s Jack Taylor and Luzio, and Hickey was the last finisher in 10th.

Race result (9 laps)