Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Tymek Kucharczyk topped the times in the first GB3 Championship test session of the week at Silverstone this morning (Thursday).
The Polish driver recorded a best time of 1m53.179s right at the end of the opening 25 minutes of running, and put him a tenth of a second clear of VRD Racing by Arden’s James Hedley, who was also a late improver.
Rodin’s championship leader Louis Sharp and JHR’s Oulton Park winner John Bennett battled for top spot for much of the session, and were separated by 0.024s at the end in third and fourth.
VRD Racing’s Nikita Johnson, who will join the series officially at Spa, was less than a tenth of a second further back in fifth, and 0.038s clear of Elite’s McKenzy Cresswell in sixth.
The third Oulton Park race winner, Hitech’s Will Macintyre, was 0.068s away from the top-six, and 0.092s clear of teammate Gerrard Xie, who ensured all three Hitech machines were inside the top-eight at their home venue.
Elite’s Hugo Schwarze and Fortec’s Colin Queen completed the top-10, which was covered by less than nine tenths of a second.
FIA F3 contender Martinius Stenshorne was 16th in his first GB3 session, while Fortec handed a test to fellow F3 race winner Arvid Lindblad, who will remain at the circuit for the remainder of testing. James Wharton, who will race for the team this weekend, will join the test tomorrow.
GB3 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Silverstone Thursday test session one top-10:
1. Tymek Kucharczyk, Hitech Pulse-Eight, 1m53.179s
2. James Hedley, VRD Racing by Arden, +0.109s
3. Louis Sharp, Rodin Motorsport, +0.369s
4. John Bennett, JHR Developments, +0.393s
5. Nikita Johnson, VRD Racing by Arden, +0.484s
6. McKenzy Cresswell, Elite Motorsport, +0.522s
7. Will Macintyre, Hitech Pulse-Eight, +0.590s
8. Gerrard Xie, Hitech Pulse-Eight, +0.682s
9. Hugo Schwarze, Elite Motorsport, +0.730s
10. Colin Queen, Fortec Motorsport, +0.895s
Click here for full result.