Outstanding Maiden GB3 Victory For Nick Gilkes In Final Race Of Season

October 17, 2022

Outstanding Maiden GB3 Victory For Nick Gilkes In Final Race Of Season

Markham Vale team Hillspeed enjoyed a victorious conclusion to the 2022 GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit on Sunday, 16th October, thanks to a faultless lights-to-flag win in round 24 for Canadian driver Nick Gilkes.

Providing the perfect end to Gilkes’ maiden season in GB3, he delivered a fantastic drive from pole position and was never headed throughout. Soaking up pressure mid-race, Gilkes didn’t put a wheel wrong on his way to a very popular first victory.

In the GB4 Championship partnered by the BRDC, Hillspeed’s hopes of winning the Teams title unfortunately came unstuck in the final race of its campaign when misfortune befell racing returnee Oliver Clarke at the first corner and a challenge for race victory slipped away for Max Marzorati.

The team did celebrate a GB4 podium finish in round 23 on Sunday morning, following a great drive to third place from Clarke in only his second GB4 race and also his first race meeting in 20 months, having been on the sidelines since the conclusion of the 2020 BRDC British F3 season. Megan Gilkes took away a best finish of fifth position from the opening GB4 race on Saturday, 15th October.

Richard Ollerenshaw – Hillspeed Team Principal:
“What a way to end the season! We’re absolutely delighted to see Nick take his first win in GB3, and in style as well with an exceptional drive. He’s been making good progress all season, we knew with the right opportunity he could win in his first season and we’re over the moon it has happened.

“It was a mixed weekend in GB4, and we’re obviously very disappointed as a team to miss out on winning the Teams’ Championship, but it’s still been a very strong season for us in the inaugural year of GB4. It wasn’t the way either Max or Megan wanted to end their campaigns, although we were pleased to see Ollie take a podium after so long out of a car. We’re looking forward to 2023 now.”

Faultless maiden GB3 victory for Gilkes at Hillspeed’s home track
Nick Gilkes started race one of the GB3 weekend on Saturday from a frustrating 19th on the grid having had three lap times disallowed in qualifying – one of no fewer than 16 drivers who were penalised for track limits infringements.

Making a good start and gaining a place, he grabbed 17th into Melbourne Hairpin on lap two and moved into 16th on lap three prior to a Safety Car period. Racing resumed on lap six and a shake-up at the hairpin the next time around resulted in Gilkes grabbing two places. Slipping to 15th on lap eight, he fought back well to climb up into 13th place before the finish – an impressive drive.

Round 23 on Sunday morning began on a damp track and Gilkes, along with most of the grid, ran with wet-weather tyres. Delivering a superb opening lap, by the time the field headed onto the Grand Prix loop he was into the top 15 and he gained two more places on lap two. Claiming 12th on lap six, driving well, Gilkes slipped back during the second half of the race to eventually finish 15th.

Race three was not only the highlight of the weekend but also of the GB3 season for Gilkes and Hillspeed. Starting the ‘reverse grid’ race from pole position, Gilkes made a good launch and held off all challengers into Redgate before pulling 1.3 seconds clear on a terrific opening lap.

Although his lead was cut to half a second prior to a Safety Car period between laps eight and 10, Gilkes soaked up the pressure impressively and didn’t put a wheel wrong as he hit his apexes and braking points to perfection. Leading by 0.8 seconds onto the 13th and final lap, Gilkes duly took his maiden GB3 race win by just under a second – sparking huge celebrations for Hillspeed.

Nick Gilkes – GB3 Driver:
“I can’t thank the team enough, they put in so much effort this year, and to finish it off like this is incredible – what a race. I’m lost for words really. I think the restart went as well as it could’ve done, in all honesty it didn’t make any difference as Cian [Shields] was pressuring me anyway, it just added more cars to the mix. I can’t believe it, I’m lost for words.”

Hillspeed ends 2022 GB4 season runner-up in Team Standings
Clarke was the fastest of Hillspeed’s GB4 drivers in qualifying with the seventh quickest time in Saturday morning’s session – despite losing two laps for track limits infringements. Megan Gilkes qualified eighth, and also had two laps deleted, while Marzorati endured a nightmare session with four laps disallowed – leaving him 10th on the timesheets.

Race one began on a damp track and with drama too when pole-starter Jack Sherwood crashed out on the first formation lap. Elevating Clarke, Gilkes and Marzorati into sixth, seventh and ninth for the start, all three got away well with Clarke heading the Hillspeed challenge. Marzorati challenged Clarke successfully for fifth into Goddards, but Clarke hit back into Redgate on lap two.

Gilkes, meanwhile, held eighth after being put wide at the first corner on lap one and all remained static until lap five when Clarke understeered wide at Redgate, spinning back across the track. In the aftermath, Gilkes was able to slice into fifth where she ended the race but Marzorati, the first on the scene, was delayed and eventually finished seventh. Clarke, meanwhile, ended the contest 10th.

Clarke started round 23 from seventh and quickly sliced into the top five, then grabbing fourth before the end of the first lap. Taking third on the second tour, Clarke successfully challenged Tom Mills for second at the hairpin on lap seven but both were delayed – enabling William MacIntyre through. Emerging in third again, Clarke stayed there to the flag to secure his maiden GB4 podium.

The race actually ended behind the Safety Car, the cause of which was a tangle involving Gilkes and Mills. Gilkes had started eighth and was fifth by lap three, before setting the fastest lap on the fifth tour. Taking fourth from Mills on lap seven, when he attempted to re-challenge into McLeans the pair tangled and ended up in the gravel.

Starting 14th on the grid, Marzorati faced a major challenge and knew his hopes of the Drivers title were all but over. Nonetheless, he produced a very strong drive and progressed through the order impressively. Largely staying out of trouble, although tagged a couple of times, he finished sixth.

Marzorati began round 24 from fourth and aced the start spectacularly, storming into the lead. Just behind, though, a multi-car tangle into Redgate meant retirement for Clarke who had challenged for second on the outside – having launched brilliantly from sixth on the grid. The incident brought out the Safety Car, nullifying Marzorati’s lead which was as much as three seconds midlap.

At the resumption on lap four Marzorati led away well and Gilkes maintained sixth, having risen from ninth. Marzorati lost the lead on lap six which then precipitated a slip down the order, before a dramatic incident on lap 10. Edged to fourth out of the chicane, Marzorati was then challenged by Gilkes into the hairpin. Contact followed, resulting in Marzorati finishing eighth with Gilkes ninth.

Oliver Clarke:
“It’s good to be back on the podium after so long out of racing, my first podium in GB4, and some good points for the team as well which has been the aim this weekend. It was a really good race, I love getting stuck in and had a couple of good moves on [Nikolas] Taylor and [Tom] Mills so I’m really happy.”