Decisive Pass For Lead At Wet Zandvoort Delivers Fourth Win Of Year For Mavlyutov
Daniel Mavlyutov achieved his fourth race victory of the GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC season at a soaking wet Zandvoort on Sunday, 15th October – and all on Hillspeed team principal Richard Ollerenshaw’s 53rd birthday!
Zandvoort Grand Prix Circuit in The Netherlands provided the venue for the second overseas event of the 2023 GB3 campaign, and the third current Formula One track visited by the UK’s premier single-seater category this year.
For Markham Vale’s Hillspeed, the weekend also marked the team’s return to Zandvoort in a racing capacity for the first time since 2011, when the squad was a double class winner in Formula Renault Northern European Cup with Britain’s Howard Fuller. On its first appearance at the venue in GB3, the squad celebrated more success with Mavlyutov making the most of a front row start to round 21.
Lining-up second on the grid for Sunday morning’s contest, which took place on a very wet track and with rain continuing to fall, the Turkish racer maintained second off the start before the Safety Car was deployed.
Team-mate Gerrard Xie, starting fourth, was caught-up in a tangle at Turn Three and retirement was unfortunately instantaneous. When racing resumed with just nine minutes left on the clock, Mavlyutov knew it was his best chance to attempt a pass for the lead.
Pulling out of the spray to the inside for Turn One, a decisive and well-judged move ensured the lead of the race. Moments later the Safety Car was required again, and that’s how everything remained to the chequered flag for win number four of Mavlyutov’s rookie GB3 season.
The action on Saturday, 14th October, was less fruitful for Hillspeed’s duo. Xie qualified 20th for race one of the day, lapping just 0.6 seconds shy of top 10 pace, with Mavlyutov a further 0.4 seconds behind to take 22nd on the grid for round 19.
Just a couple of hours later, the beginning to Saturday morning’s encounter was fairly dramatic with two cars tangling off the line. The Hillspeed drivers made it safely through though in 19th and 20th before the Safety Car was deployed.
When racing resumed a short while after, Xie and Mavlyutov circulated well working their way into 18th and 19th. During the latter stages, Mavlyutov closed right onto the tail of his team-mate and at the flag they were only separated by a mere 0.093 seconds.
For round 20 later in the afternoon, Xie lined-up in 19th position on the grid with Mavlyutov 22nd again. Similar to the opening encounter, the Safety Car was required on the opening tour with the team-mates concluding the first lap 20th and 23rd respectively.
When the action resumed a couple of laps later, both lapped competitively and Xie was able to move back up into 19th before the finish with Mavlyutov two spots further behind, albeit just 0.2 seconds shy of Shawn Rashid on the sprint to the line in the battle for the final top 20 placing.
Daniel Mavlyutov:
“My fourth win, it’s not too bad! I got a pretty average start, had a decent re-start, committed to Turn One and it worked. Turn Two was the most tricky, it’s where everyone went off. On the re-start I went all the way out there, I was nearly in the wall.”
Richard Ollerenshaw – Hillspeed Team Principal:
“What a way to end our first race weekend at Zandvoort in 12 years! Daniel produced a great move, very determined and well-judged, to take the lead of the race at the re-start. Obviously the second Safety Car meant the racing was limited, but Daniel did what he needed to for win number four.
“It was a shame Gerrard got caught-up in the incident at Turn Three on the first lap, it was a good chance for our first double podium this year. All focus now is on the season finale on home ground at Donington, we have a busy few days ahead.”
Hillspeed now returns to prepare the squad’s GB3 cars in readiness for the 2023 season finale which takes place on 21st/22nd October at the Derbyshire team’s home track – Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit.
GB3 Championship Driver Standings (after Rd21)
20th Daniel Mavlyutov, 108pts; 22nd Gerrard Xie, 100pts
GB3 Championship – Team Standings (after Rd21)
9th Hillspeed, 208pts
