Louis Sharp has extended his GB3 Championship lead to 33 points ahead of the final round after a dominant display at Donington Park over the weekend.
Sharp backed up Saturday’s victory with a second lights-to-flag win in Sunday’s opener before climbing from 12th to sixth in this morning’s reverse grid race.
Those successes also earned Sharp the Omologato One to Watch Award and the Muriel Tomlinson Trophy, presented by the Donington Park Racing Association Club for stand-out performance.
“In terms of winning the championship, this has been a critical weekend,” admitted Sharp, who considers Donington Park to be his local UK circuit, having been born close by in Nottingham.
“I arrived here four points ahead and now leave with a 33-point lead, so I have to be very happy. There is, though, still a long way to go, and I know both John (Bennett) and Tymek (Kucharczyk) will be all the more determined at Brands to make up the ground I’ve now gained on them. And I’ll be equally determined to get the job done.
“I really must thank the whole Rodin Motorsport team for giving me an awesome car in all conditions this weekend. We are now all the more focussed for a repeat performance on the Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch where, of course, I won the GB4 Championship 12 months ago.”
Sharp lined up on pole on a wet track in Race 2 and, as was the case in the opener, made a strong start to pull clear of title rival Tymek Kucharczyk through the early stages.
The Rodin Motorsports driver led by as much as four seconds before Kucharczyk responded mid-race and ate into the advantage, greeting the chequered flag 2.392 seconds behind the championship leader.
Freddie Slater, who completed the provisional podium, was over six seconds behind the dominant front two. Slater, however, making his GB3 debut for Rodin Motorsport, was penalised a position post-race for crowding Noah Ping onto the grass off the start. Ping recovered from his off-track venture to finish fourth and was promoted to the podium at Slater’s expense.
John Bennett, who was second in the championship entering the round, could only manage seventh. Jacob Douglas, the second Kiwi in the field, finished 19th.
Sharp lined up 12th for the reverse grid race and made steady progress over 17 laps, working his way to sixth and, more importantly, passing Kucharczyk on the way.
The race was won by Rodin Motorsport’s Arthur Rogeon, who led from lights to flag to sweep the round for the team. McKenzy Cresswell and Will Macintyre completed the podium ahead of Bennett and Slater, who held off Sharp throughout the race. Douglas finished 19th.
Bennett remains second in the championship entering the final round, 33 points behind the Kiwi leader and three points ahead of Kucharczyk.
The 2024 GB3 Championship title will be decided at Brands Hatch on September 28-29.
Header Image: GB3 Championship
