Molnar sets GB3 testing pace at Donington Park

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Rodin Motorsport’s Martin Molnar topped five out of eight sessions as GB3 pre-season testing continued this week with two days of running at Donington Park. 

Molnar set an unofficial GB3 lap record of 1m20.367s to be quickest overall by 0.057 seconds, while Xcel Motorsport’s Rowan Campbell-Pilling denied Rodin a top-three lockout by edging out Maxim Rehm and Abbi Pulling to the second fastest time. 

Hitech GP and Velocity Racing Development, who have both confirmed their three-car lineups for the new season, were notable absences from the test.

Fortec Motorsports’ Jack Taylor set an early 1m22.260s benchmark to lead Wednesday’s disrupted opening session by 0.172s from Elite Motorsport’s Flynn Jackes, and Xcel Campbell-Pilling edged Molnar to third by 0.001s.

Molnar lowered the pace to 1m21.820s in the early stages of session two, then improved to a 1m21.567 before the second of two red-flag stoppages to be 0.4s clear of Jackes, with Pulling third ahead of Campbell-Pilling and Lucas Fluxa – the latter testing for Xcel though has yet to confirm a deal to race this season.

After continuing to head the timesheet for most of session three, Molnar found a further 0.25s to be 0.31s quicker than Taylor, while Pulling was again third.

Most drivers set new personal bests in session four, including Molnar who ensured he remained on top as Wednesday’s running concluded with a 1m21.130s lap. He was 0.4s clear of Hillspeed’s Dante Vinci, with Taylor third ahead of Campbell-Pilling, Pulling and Arden’s Leon Wilson.

Molnar continued where he had left off by being quickest again in Thursday’s session five, beating his previous benchmark by more than 0.7s. His team-mates Rehm and Pulling simultaneously lowered the testing pace initially, but the Hungarian racer set three successive quickest laps, with a 1m20.389s his best effort. Jackes was 0.2s behind him, while Pulling edged Rehm and Campbell-Pllling to third.

The best lap of testing came in session six, as Molnar went quicker still by 0.022s to lead Campbell-Pilling, with Rehm third ahead of Hillspeed’s Peter Bouzinelos. Rehm topped session seven with a 1m20.836s, ahead of Pulling and Campbell-Pilling, the latter then setting a 1m20.424s to lead the final session of the week by 0.112s from Rehm who was 0.005s ahead of Pulling – all three recording personal bests.

Jackes’ session five time was enough to be 0.216s off the overall pace in fifth, while Taylor and Jackes also improved in session eight to be sixth and seventh.

Test results