Douglas Motorsport’s Max Esterson converted pole position into a maiden GB3 Championship victory in the second race of the weekend at Donington Park.
The New Yorker had to resist a first lap challenge from front row starter Callum Voisin, with the Carlin going around the outside of Redgate, the Craners and the Old Hairpin, only to run wide.
That allowed championship contenders Luke Browning and Joel Granfors into the podium positions. Hitech’s Browning applied pressure on Esterson throughout, but settled for second, while Fortec’s Granfors ceded the championship lead to Browning after finishing third and a couple of seconds further back. Esterson became the seventh different race winner in GB3 from the eight races so far in 2022.
Elite’s James Hedley claimed his best result of the season so far with fourth ahead of Carlin’s Roberto Faria, with JHR Developments’ Matthew Rees taking sixth ahead of Voisin, who went wide again at the Old Hairpin on the seventh lap to fall to seventh.
Tom Lebbon was eighth for Elite Motorsport, ahead of Arden’s Alex Connor who had a slow start from fifth on the grid and dropped down the order but fought back to ninth, with Carlin’s Javier Sagrera completing the top-10 ahead of Arden debutant Nico Christodoulou.
Esterson made a good start from pole to lead the field down to Redgate on lap one. Voisin went around the outside of Redgate but couldn't quite pull clear down the Craners and remained on the outside line at the Old Hairpin.
As the pair battled, Voisin ran wide on the exit, bounced through the air and dropped down the order, leaving Esterson in the lead. With all that going on, Browning had made a blinding start from sixth to climb up to second.
Esterson led every lap but Browning remained in his slipstream throughout, with second place giving him a slender championship lead heading into this afternoon's reverse grid race at 16.42.
GB3 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Donington Park race two result:
1. Max Esterson, Douglas Motorsport, 12 laps
2. Luke Browning, Hitech GP, +0.762s
3. Joel Granfors, Fortec Motorsport, +3.357s
4. James Hedley, Elite Motorsport, +5.540s
5. Roberto Faria, Carlin, +5.983s
6. Matthew Rees, JHR Developments, +6.506s
7. Callum Voisin, Carlin, +8.369s
8. Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +10.143s
9. Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +10.712s
10. Javier Sagrera, Carlin, +13.147s
11. Nico Christodoulou, Arden Motorsport, +13.647s
12. McKenzy Cresswell, Chris Dittmann Racing, +15.864s
13. John Bennett, Elite Motorsport, +17.113s
14. Marcos Flack, Douglas Motorsport, +21.425s
15. Cian Shields, Hitech GP, +25.532s
16. Zak Taylor, Fortec Motorsport, +26.383s
17. Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsport, +27.975s
18. Nick Gilkes, Hillspeed, +28.554s
19. Bryce Aron, Hitech GP, +29.457s
20. Branden Oxley, Chris Dittmann Racing, +29.820s
21. Tommy Smith, Douglas Motorsport, +32.336s
22. David Morales, Arden Motorsport, +1 lap