​Hillspeed all set for GB3 opener at Oulton

By Sports Reporter
Published 4th Apr 2023, 11:47 BST
Hillspeed get back under way this weekend.Hillspeed get back under way this weekend.
Hillspeed get back under way this weekend.
​​Almost six months since the final race of the 2022 GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC concluded with victory for Hillspeed, the Markham Vale team is preparing for the start of the new campaign this coming weekend at Oulton Park – where the squad will debut its rookie driver line-up.

Gerrard Xie, from China, and Turkish driver Daniel Mavlyutov are both ready to embark on their respective maiden seasons in GB3, the UK’s premier single-seater championship and a key rung on the ladder towards the FIA Formula One World Championship.

Cheshire’s Oulton Park takes its traditional place as the host venue for the season-opening GB3 action across Easter weekend, where a grid of around 24 cars is expected to contest the first three races of the new season around the 2.69-mile International Circuit layout.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Along with experience gained from a comprehensive testing programme over recent weeks, Xie arrives in GB3 as the reigning F4 Chinese Champion – a dominant season delivering 12 wins from 14 starts. He also finished runner-up at the prestigious Macau GP race last year and during GB3 testing at Donington Park a couple of weeks ago, he was within just 0.6 seconds of the outright pace.

Mavlyutov has less mileage under his belt, having only started out in racing late in 2021 in Formula Ford.

After a season in the F4 British Championship last year and further action in both Spanish F4 and Formula Regional Middle East, though, the Turkish driver is determined to continue soaking up as much knowledge as possible in his maiden GB3 season.

Richard Ollerenshaw, Hillspeed team principal said: “Everyone at the team is looking forward to getting the new season underway and working hard with both Gerrard and Daniel to help them progress as the championship unfolds.