Palmowski wins GB4 season opener at Oulton Park

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Elite Motorsport’s Alisha Palmowski scored a comfortable win on her debut in the opening GB4 race of the season at Oulton Park.

The Ginetta Junior graduate made the better start from the outside of the front row to lead into turn one, while KMR Sport’s Brandon McCaughan made a slow launch from pole and slipped to fourth.

Elite’s Finn Harrison spun on the way to the grid but reclaimed his place on the second row, and he was then squeezed wide into Old Hall by KMR’s Harry Burgoyne Jr who moved into second.

Palmowski held a 1.7-second lead at the end of the opening lap, and that advantage doubled over the next couple laps while a fierce battle for second ensued.

Harrison drew alongside Burgoyne on the run to Cascades but bounced over the inside kerb before making contact with his rival and was then run wide on the exit of the corner and sustained car damage.

Also carrying a 10s penalty for incorrectly reclaiming his place on the grid, Harrison lost further places before eventually retiring in the pitlane.

Palmowski edged further clear in the remaining laps, finishing the 12-lap contest 3.6s clear of Burgoyne, with McCaughan a further 1.6s behind in third.

Graham Brunton Racing’s Callum Baxter was fourth ahead of Fox Motorsport’s Branden Templeton, who passed Arden’s Leon Wilson during the race to finish fifth.

Fortec Motorsports’ Linus Granfors stalled at the start before recovering to seventh ahead of KMR’s Chloe Grant. GBR’s Mayer Deonarine finished ninth ahead of Fortec’s Jack Taylor, whose team-mate Dan Hickey spun early on and trailed home 13th.

Race result (12 laps)