Xie leads GB3’s rain-disrupted Brands Hatch test, Burgoyne tops GB4

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Hitech GP’s Gerrard Xie was fastest on the second day of pre-event testing ahead of GB3’s deciding round at Brands Hatch.

Friday’s action took place on the Indy layout, though the full Grand Prix circuit will be used this weekend. Heavy morning rain led to no running in the opening 25-minute session, and the following two sessions were disrupted by red flags.

Rodin Motorsport’s points leader Louis Sharp led with a 50.760s lap at the halfway stage of a wet session two ahead of the returning James Hedley and Elite Motorsport’s McKenzy Cresswell.

Chris Dittmann Racing’s Hedley soon took over at the top with a 50.458s, and Elite’s Jarrod Waberski and Hedley’s team-mate Tom Mills moved up to second and third respectively before the latter caused the session to end with six minutes remaining by sliding into the barriers at Clearways.

Session three was even more truncated despite a slightly drier circuit, as JHR Developments’ title contender John Bennett brought out the red flags with 15 minutes remaining after dipping a wheel on the grass and crashing heavily into the barriers at Clearways. With the session not resuming, Hedley was quickest again with a 48.449s ahead of Hitech duo Xie and Will Macintyre.

The best conditions came in the final session, though it wasn’t until 10 minutes remaining that Hedley’s benchmark was beaten. Velocity Racing Development by Arden’s Noah Ping was first to lower the pace, and many other drivers enjoyed brief spells at the top as laptimes tumbled, before Xie posted a test-topping 46.003s on his final lap to deny Sharp by 0.099s. 

Macintyre was third ahead of team-mate and fellow title protagonist Tymek Kurcharczyk, with Mills fifth ahead of his GB3 debut. Bennett was the slowest runner in 20th after only getting in one flying lap in his repaired machine before he suffered mechanical gremlins.

KMR Sport’s Harry Burgoyne Jr was the fastest of eight drivers in GB4’s test, while Fortec Motorsports’ championship leader Linus Granfors was absent.

Burgoyne, one of two contenders chasing Granfors for the crown, was the only driver to post a representative time in session one and he was joined on track by Fox Motorsport’s Megan Bruce and Branden Templeton.

Templeton was quickest in session two with a 56.320s ahead of Burgyone and Elite’s title contender Alisha Palmowski, who was one of five drivers to put in their first laps of the day.

A dry line emerged for session three, enabling Burgoyne to lower the pace to a 48.696s before Fortec Motorsports’ Jack Taylor brought proceedings to a temporary halt at the halfway stage by spinning and making light contact with the barriers at Clearways. Elite’s Finn Harrison edged Burgoyne following the resumption with a 48.359s, with Arden’s Leon Wilson third.

Burgoyne posted a new best of 46.422s in session four to lead Harrison, Wilson and Palmowski, before Wilson went off at Paddock Hill Bend in the closing stages and brought the day’s running to a premature conclusion.

Test results