A large number of GB3 Championship graduates will be in action during the British Grand Prix this weekend, competing in almost all the racing action at Silverstone across the next three days.
Here’s who you can follow if you’re at the circuit, or watching on TV.
Formula 1
George Russell – Mercedes
GB3 began life as the BRDC F4 Championship in 2013, and the champion a year later was none other than George Russell, who took the crown in a dramatic final race at Snetterton. Since then he’s won titles in GP3 and Formula 2, and is now in his fourth F1 season. Three impressive years at Williams (and a brilliant single-race cameo at Mercedes) has led to a promotion to the reigning eight-time champions, and he’s the leading British runner heading to his home event, lying fourth in the championship standings with three podiums to his name. He’s also the only driver to have finished every race inside the top-five.
Lando Norris – McLaren
BRDC F4 became BRDC British F3 in 2016, and Norris starred in a partial campaign, taking four race wins and finishing eighth overall despite only competing in half the rounds. The FIA F3 European title followed a year later, was runner-up to Russell in F2 in 2018, and has taken six podiums since his F1 debut with McLaren, as well as a breakthrough pole position last year. This year’s McLaren has been hit and miss, but Norris should be able to extract the best from it at his home Grand Prix.
FIA Formula 2
Jake Hughes – Van Amersfoort Racing
Hughes, the inaugural BRDC F4 champion back in 2013 has gone on to build an incredibly successful career, having won races in Formula Renault, FIA F3 and GP3 while also becoming the reserve driver for Mercedes in Formula E and the simulator pilot for Mercedes in F1. He races in F2 with Van Amersfoort Racing and has shown strong pace in his first full campaign this year.
Clement Novalak – MP Motorsport
The Frenchman (who competed under the British flag in his title-winning BRDC British F3 campaign in 2019), was third overall in FIA F3 last year, and has helped his MP Motorsport squad to the top of the Teams’ Championship standings ahead of Silverstone. With 22 points to his name so far, he’s made good progress in his first season in F2.
FIA Formula 3
Oliver Bearman – Prema
Bearman won races and finished on the podium in selected GB3 appearances last year, and is the highest placed graduate in FIA F3 ahead of the weekend. Since the end of last year, he’s been signed up by the Ferrari Academy, and very nearly won his first FIA F3 race at Bahrain, only to be hit with a time penalty. Big things are expected!
Kaylen Frederick – Hitech GP
The 2020 BRDC British F3 champion made his FIA F3 debut last year and has switched to Hitech for 2022. The American has enjoyed a strong campaign with points finishes in five of the first six races of the year, and won twice at Silverstone in his title-winning British F3 season.
Zak O’Sullivan – Carlin
What a year it’s been for O’Sullivan. The young Brit dominated last year’s GB3 Championship with Carlin, won the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year award, was signed up by the Williams Driver Academy and has made a strong start to life in FIA F3 with excellent pace and points finishes.
Kush Maini – MP Motorsport
After a year of minimal racing activity in 2021, the 2020 British F3 runner-up was a late addition to this year’s FIA F3 grid, but he’s shown a lot of potential, and just needs a change of luck to land a big result. Perhaps that’ll come at Silverstone, where he showed lap record pace in testing ahead of the 2020 BRDC British F3 season finale.
Reece Ushijima – Van Amersfoort Racing
The Japanese-American contender was a GB3 front-runner last year and won two races in one weekend at Silverstone, so he’ll surely fancy his chances over the British Grand Prix weekend. He scored his first FIA F3 points at Barcelona a few weeks ago.
Nazim Azman – Hitech GP
The Malaysian was a British F3 teammate to Frederick in 2020, and the pair are united again in FIA F3, this time with Hitech. Having won in Euroformula last year, Azman is getting closer to the pace in his first FIA F3 season and chasing his first points.
Hunter Yeany – Campos Racing
American racer Yeany did a one-off round in GB3 at Spa last year, and finished on the podium. He’s found it more difficult to bank big results in FIA F3, and makes a Silverstone race debut this weekend.
W Series
Jamie Chadwick – Jenner Racing
Chadwick made British F3 history in 2018 when she became the first female race winner in the championship’s history. Since then she’s dominated the female-only W Series category, winning the title in 2019 and 2021, and has won all three races so far this year. She missed out on a Silverstone win last year, so will be out to make amends this weekend!