Local man Luke Browning ended Friday atop the GB3 Championship testing times at Oulton Park, setting the fastest time in the final session of the day, though it’s his time from this morning’s test that proved fastest overall.
Browning’s session two effort came right at the end of the 35 minute period during a final 10 minute flurry that resembled a mini qualifying session. His time of 1m29.255s was around six tenths of a second slower than this morning, but enough to put him half a tenth ahead of Fortec’s Joel Granfors this afternoon.
Granfors, who topped the times on several occasions was 0.152s ahead of Carlin’s Roberto Faria in third, and was another driver to enjoy spells at the top of the timesheets.
Faria’s teammate Callum Voisin was just 0.060s further back as he gears up for his first single-seater race event, with Javier Sagrera completing the Carlin trio in fifth and less than a tenth further back.
The Elite trio were next up with Ginetta GT5 convert John Bennett in sixth the fastest of the three, who were covered by 0.176s. Tom Lebbon, back for a second GB3 campaign was seventh, with James Hedley eighth, and only 0.6 seconds off the overall fastest.
Max Esterson was the fastest Douglas contender in ninth, and a tenth of a second ahead of teammate Marcos Flack.
Arden’s Alex Connor in 11th was the final driver within a second of Browning’s outright pace in the session. Browning’s best overall time from today, a 1m28.601s, was 2.4 seconds faster than last year’s pole position time, demonstrating the impressive performance of the new Tatuus MSV-022 car. Indeed the top-20 drivers were inside last year’s pole time, set by reigning champion Zak O’Sullivan.
The GB3 field will be back in action for the first qualifying session of the year at 11.05 tomorrow (Saturday) morning. Live timing will be available throughout the day, while the first race of the season will also benefit from full live coverage.
GB3 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Oulton Park Friday test session 2 result:
1. Luke Browning, Hitech GP, 1m29.255s
2. Joel Granfors, Fortec Motorsport, +0.053s
3. Roberto Faria, Carlin, +0.205s
4. Callum Voisin, Carlin, +0.265s
5. Javier Sagrera, Carlin, +0.354s
6. John Bennett, Elite Motorsport, +0.424s
7. Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +0.507s
8. James Hedley, Elite Motorsport, +0.600s
9. Max Esterson, Douglas Motorsport, +0.677s
10. Marcos Flack, Douglas Motorsport, +0.796s
11. Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +0.891s
12. Matthew Rees, JHR Developments, +1.039s
13. Branden Oxley, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.096s
14. Zak Taylor, Fortec Motorsport, +1.139s
15. Bryce Aron, Hitech GP, +1.472s
16. Nick Gilkes, Hillspeed, +1.542s
17. McKenzy Cresswell, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.627s
18. David Morales, Arden Motorsport, +1.644s
19. Cian Shields, Hitech GP, +1.647s
20. Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsport, +1.684s
21. Tommy Smith, Douglas Motorsport, +1.947s