Just 26 points seperate the top three drivers in the GB3 Championship entering the final day of competition at Brands Hatch after leader Louis Sharp ran wide on Lap 1 and dropped down the order in Race 1.
Sharp had started the race in third, alongside title rival Tymek Kucharczyk and one place behind John Bennett, who entered the round in second.
While Elite Motorsport’s McKenzy Cresswell qualified on pole and stormed to a dominant victory, all eyes were on the battle between Bennett, Kucharczyk, and Sharp behind.
Kucharczyk got the better of starts off the second row to jump ahead of Sharp at Turn 1, but the Kiwi fought back and ran side-by-side with his Polish rival for the following corners.
However, attempting to run around the outside of Kucharczyk at Graham Hill Bend on Lap 1 proved his undoing, with the Rodin Motorsport entry sent skating on the grass and returning to the track in eighth.
Sharp did well to maintain control and re-join safely, and only gained one place over the following 15 laps, which came when Gerrard Xie’s right-rear failed and sent him into the barriers on the final tour.
Cresswell fended off a late fight back from Bennett to hold on for a lights-to-flag win, while Kucharczyk completed the podium.
With Sharp’s two title rivals on the podium and the Kiwi languishing in seventh, the championship is posied for a thrilling final day, with two races, including a reverse grid outing, to come.
Bennett is only 18 points off the championship lead, while Kucharczyk is a further eight behind that.
Sharp can clinch the title in Race 2 but needs to have at least a 31-point lead over John Bennett and a 29-point lead over Tymek Kucharczyk ahead of the season finale.
If he wins the race, Bennett must finish at least third to remain in with a chance, while Kucharczyk would be knocked out of title contention.
Sharp’s efforts are made easier by the fact he qualified on pole for Race 2, and will start alongside Cresswell, with Bennett and Kucharczyk on the row behind, respectively.
The Kiwi’s effort for his fifth pole of 2024 also sees him win the 2025 Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup and the £2,000 end of year prize in the process.
Race 2 starts at 11.30 pm on Saturday NZST, before the season-finale at 3.45 am on Monday.
Racng can be watched live on YouTube through the link attached.
