Hitech GP’s Cian Shields claimed a maiden GB3 Championship victory in the final race of the weekend at Silverstone.
Starting from the front row, he passed pole sitter David Morales on the run to Copse to take the lead, and held it from there. He was pressured throughout the race by Hillspeed’s Nick Gilkes, with the Canadian never really more than half a second away, and claimed his first podium with second.
Gilkes looked a serious threat in the mid-phase of the race, crossing the line just two tenths beind the Scotsman at the end of lap six, but Shields was just able to stretch the advantage at the end of the 10-lap contest.
Shields’ teammate Bryce Aron was another maiden podium finisher with third, courtesy of a late double move on Morales and Douglas Motorsport’s Tommy Smith at Brooklands.
Arden’s Morales claimed fourth ahead of Carlin’s Javier Sagrera, who battled his way up from tenth on the grid to fifth at the flag.
McKenzy Cresswell was another to make big progress, taking sixth for Chris Dittmann Racing from 12th on the grid, just ahead of Arden’s Alex Connor.
Carlin’s Callum Voisin climbed from 11th to eighth ahead of Branden Oxley who was embroiled in a thrilling scrap throughout the race with plenty of wheel to wheel racing. He finished just ahead of Fortec’s Joel Granfors who shot up from 20th and last on the grid to an impressive tenth place, having gained six places on lap one alone.
The Swede was just two tenths of a second clear of Douglas Motorsport’s Max Esterson, with John Bennett (Elite), Tommy Smith (Douglas) and race two winner Tom Lebbon (Elite) firmly involved in the battle too.
GB3 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Silverstone race three result:
1. Cian Shields, Hitech GP, 10 laps
2. Nick Gilkes, Hillspeed, +0.434s
3. Bryce Aron, Hitech GP, +3.248s
4. David Morales, Arden Motorsport, +5.575s
5. Javier Sagrera, Carlin, +7.342s
6. McKenzy Cresswell, Chris Dittmann Racing, +7.485s
7. Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +8.212s
8. Callum Voisin, Carlin, +8.739s
9. Branden Oxley, Chris Dittmann Racing, +13.038s
10. Joel Granfors, Fortec Motorsport, +14.300s
11. Max Esterson, Douglas Motorsport, +14.560s
12. John Bennett, Elite Motorsport, +15.248s
13. Tommy Smith, Douglas Motorsport, +16.802s
14. Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +17.290s
15. Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsport, +19.023s
16. Zak Taylor, Fortec Motorsports, +21.898s
17. Luke Browning, Hitech GP, +22.440s
18. James Hedley, Elite Motorsport, +23.747s
19. Matthew Rees, JHR Developments, 3 laps
20. Roberto Faria, Carlin, 3 laps