Exciting Teenager Kulkarni Joins Hillspeed For Maiden GB3 Season
British-born racer Aditya Kulkarni has signed with front-running GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC team Hillspeed for the new 2024 campaign, which begins at Oulton Park International Circuit in Cheshire this coming Easter weekend.
Multiple GB4 Championship podium finisher Kulkarni, who has Indian heritage and established a highly successful karting career prior to stepping-up into single-seater racing last year in GB4, ended his rookie season in cars a highly creditable fifth in the driver standings.
Now joining Markham Vale’s Hillspeed for his maiden campaign in the UK’s premier single-seater championship, Harrow-based Kulkarni is looking forward to adapting as quickly as he can to GB3, albeit with no pre-season testing under his belt.
The 16-year-old, who was born in London, only started out his motorsport journey a few years ago but immediately impressed in karting – winning the 2021 Junior TKM Karting crown as well as that year’s ‘O’ Plate title in the British Open Championship. Additionally, he is a past TKM Festival winner and was a top 10 finisher in the MSA British Karting Championship in 2021 and 2022.
Hillspeed, of course, claimed a total of five race victories in GB3 last year and is delighted to have signed the talented teen for the full GB3 season which gets underway with the first three races of 2024 later in the week – round one taking place on Saturday, 30th March, and rounds two and three following on Easter Monday, 1st April.
Kulkarni will be sponsored for his debut season in GB3 by RCKitout.com with additional partners to be confirmed as the campaign progresses. His first official test runs in his new Hillspeed GB3 car will come this Thursday, 28th March, and Friday, 29th March, at Oulton Park.
Aditya Kulkarni:
“It’s always been a goal of mine to progress further in single-seaters, so to do that in a series of this calibre [GB3] whilst being one of the youngest drivers on the grid gives me a lot of confidence for the year ahead. I’m especially looking forward to the season being with Hillspeed, I felt confident in the car and the people around me straight away. I’m sure we’re going to have a good year together.”
Richard Ollerenshaw – Hillspeed Team Principal:
“It’s fantastic news for us to have signed such a promising and talented young racer as Adi for his maiden season in GB3. He had a great first season in cars in GB4 last year and I’m confident the key focus we have on driver development at Hillspeed will help him in, what will be, a big new challenge.
“This is obviously a very late deal, so Adi will be using the first few rounds to find his feet in GB3 and to learn the car as quickly as he can. Without undertaking any pre-season testing the challenge will be even greater, but we have confidence in his ability and we’re looking forward to providing him with an environment which nurtures that and helps develop his speed and racecraft.”
The opening qualifying session of the new GB3 season will take place at 11.10 on Saturday, 30th March, with race one beginning at 15.00. Following a day away from the track on Easter Sunday, the action will resume on Easter Monday, 1st April, with round two scheduled to start at 09.30 and round three commencing at 13.45. Live coverage of all three races will be available at www.gb-3.net
