JHR’s Matthew Rees was the quickest driver in the first test session of the day at Snetterton this morning (Friday).
His time of 1m42.317s set with just over three minutes remaining ensured the Welshman has now topped three of the four test sessions at the Norfolk circuit so far this week, and was just 0.025s faster than Hitech GP championship challenger Luke Browning.
Browning had held top spot late on, only for Rees to steal the position, while Elite Motorsport’s Tom Lebbon in third, and a tenth further back was another driver to top the times during the 35 minute test.
Fortec’s championship leader Joel Granfors also led the way during the session and was fourth fastest at the end, 0.080s back from Lebbon and 0.167s clear of Arden’s Alex Connor in fifth.
A pack of drivers were covered by tiny margins behind the British driver, with Carlin’s Callum Voisin sixth and 0.024s behind, and Elite’s John Bennett 0.087s further back in seventh.
Chris Dittmann Racing’s McKenzy Cresswell was eighth, 0.046s away from Bennett’s time and one thousandth of a second clear of Douglas Motorsport’s Max Esterson. Carlin’s Roberto Faria was five thousandths of a second further back and completed a top-10 covered by less than six tenths of a second around the three-mile Snetterton 300 layout.
In all, the eighteen drivers were covered by less than a second, with one more practice session to follow at 12.40.
GB3 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Snetterton Friday test session one result:
1. Matthew Rees, JHR Developments, 1m42.317s
2. Luke Browning, Hitech GP, +0.025s
3. Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +0.137s
4. Joel Granfors, Fortec Motorsport, +0.217s
5. Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +0.384s
6. Callum Voisin, Carlin, +0.408s
7. John Bennett, Elite Motorsport, +0.495s
8. McKenzy Cresswell, Chris Dittmann Racing, +0.541s
9. Max Esterson, Douglas Motorsport, +0.542s
10. Roberto Faria, Carlin, +0.547s
11. David Morales, Arden Motorsport, +0.702s
12. Javier Sagrera, Carlin, +0.760s
13. James Hedley, Elite Motorsport, +0.860s
14. Branden Oxley, Chris Dittmann Racing, +0.881s
15. Marcos Flack, Douglas Motorsport, +0.882s
16. Zak Taylor, Fortec Motorsport, +0.938s
17. Nico Christodoulou, Arden Motorsport, +0.946s
18. Tommy Smith, Douglas Motorsport, +0.967s
19. Nick Gilkes, Hillspeed, +1.089s
20. Bryce Aron, Hitech GP, +1.343s
21. Cian Shields, Hitech GP, +1.430s
22. Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsport, +2.316s