Ninovic extends GB3 lead with commanding win at Brands Hatch

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Ninovic extended his GB3 points lead with his fifth victory in as many rounds at Brands Hatch.

Ninovic largely dominated the opening race of the weekend, but he had to handle a late safety car restart before leading home Hillspeed’s Freddie Slater by two seconds.

Slater bogged down from the outside of the front row when the lights went out and slipped to fourth, but he then swept around the outside of Xcel Motorsport’s Patrick Heuzenroeder into third at Paddock Hill Bend.

When Deagen Fairclough had a look up the inside of Ninovic for the lead one corner later at Druids, Slater pounced by braking later on the racing line.

Having gone around the outside of the Hitech GP driver, Slater reclaimed second on the exit despite dipping a wheel on the grass and getting sideways.

Ninovic held a 1.3-second lead for the first two laps before Slater edged 0.2s closer on each of the next two tours. Two fastest laps in succession helped Ninovic edge away once more, and the Australian was a commanding four seconds clear by the time the safety car was deployed – due to Xcel’s Jack Sherwood sliding into the gravel at Stirling’s bend.

That led to a three-lap dash to the chequered flag once the track returned to green, and Ninovic left nothing to chance by pulling away from Slater once more.

Fairclough maintained third for his first podium finish in 11 races, while Heuzenroeder cemented his second place in the standings by coming home fourth.

Elite’s Will Macintyre held fifth throughout, and Hillspeed’s Hiyu Yamakoshi led Rodin duo Gianmarco Pradel and Abbi Pulling to take sixth.

Yamakoshi’s team-mate Kanato Le had been due to line up from eighth on the grid, but he took the start from the pitlane and made up ground to come 17th.

Race results (18 laps)