Arden VRD’s double race winner Noah Ping is looking for a podium return when the final segment of the GB3 Championship season resumes with GB3’s maiden visit to Zandvoort in October.
The American driver has made big progress through the middle of the season, following up a reverse grid win at Silverstone in May with an outright triumph at Snetterton.
He’s hoping that the contests at Zandvoort, a circuit largely unfamiliar to the grid, will allow him to shine once more as he looks to bank a place in the end of year top-10.
“It’s a first year [at Zandvoort] for all these teams so it will be interesting, and we haven’t got a lot of testing which will kind of level the playing field I think. We had a good test there at the beginning of the season, so I’m looking forward to it for sure.”
Ping also reckons the Dutch Grand Prix venue will post a variety of trials for each driver on the grid.
“It’s definitely going to be a challenging one to overtake at, it’s going to have to be full send if you’re going to pass, but it’s going to be a physical one as well. I think it’s going to come down to who can hang onto it, qualifying is going to be of utmost importance there.”
The most recent GB3 event at Brands Hatch didn’t quite live up to Ping’s recent lofty standards, but having got plenty of track time before his Snetterton triumph, he’s been doing the same at Donington Park, the venue for the season finale.
“We took a step back at Brands unfortunately, I hit a wall and just made a mistake but that’s how that track goes. But I feel more and more comfortable in the car for sure, we got a lot of laps around Snetterton and we’re getting a lot more at Donington so hopefully we’re right there at Donington as well, and we’ll just see how Zandvoort goes.”
With track time under his belt, Ping is looking to end his campaign with podiums, before a planned title challenge in 2024.
“That’s what I’m here for, I’m here to win and to get podiums. I’m looking to be here next year and to win the championship, so I’ve got to show that I’ve progressed this season and didn’t just stay stagnant for sure.
“I’m going to do some more winter testing this year, get some laps in and just really come focused for next year and go for the championship. I was a bit over optimistic when I came here this year thinking I could do it! But these boys have proved to me that I need to work on my craft and work on my racing so it’s been a true honour.”