Dream Debut In GB3 For Rehm With Stunning Victory In Monza Season Finale
Hillspeed celebrated a fantastic conclusion to the 2025 GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC season at Monza in Italy on Sunday, 19th October, thanks to a remarkable drive from series debutant Maxim Rehm in the final race of the year – the German rookie taking a truly sensational victory.
Starting round 24 on pole position, the 18-year-old was edged back to second out of the Rettifilo Chicane but fought back with a great pass a couple of corners later to retake the lead. In a superb battle with Deagen Fairclough as the race progressed, the latter went by on lap three but Rehm hit back on the fifth tour and was never again headed on his way to a dream win on his maiden weekend in GB3.
The result ensures Markham Vale’s Hillspeed bookended the GB3 season on the top step of the podium, with Freddie Slater having won the first couple of races of the year at Silverstone GP Circuit in April. All told, the team has claimed six wins in GB3 this year – three victories for Slater, one for Kanato Le, another for Lucas Fluxa during the penultimate weekend at Donington Park and, of course, Rehm’s win.
Fluxa took best results of eighth place in rounds 22 and 24 this weekend, an event which definitely had the potential for podium challenges from the Spaniard but which didn’t quite fall into place. He showed strong pace once again though, as he did at Donington GP Circuit a fortnight ago.
Hillspeed’s other GB3 debutant, Zhenrui ‘Newman’ Chi, was incredibly impressive on his step-up into the category this weekend and he was rewarded with a best of fifth position in the opening Monza encounter after an excellent drive.
In terms of the GB3 Teams’ Championship, Hillspeed has concluded the season in fourth position, newcomers Rehm and Chi not eligible to score points on the final weekend. Had their results been able to count – the lead two cars in a team scoring in each race – this would’ve been worth 56 points.
Hillspeed wins again in GB3
After impressing in the final pre-event practice on Friday, 17th October, with the second and third fastest times respectively, GB3 debutants Rehm and Chi were quick again in the first qualifying session on Saturday morning – the former taking fifth on the grid for round 22, with Chi seventh fastest. Fluxa was there or thereabouts throughout the session but ultimately had to be satisfied with 11th quickest.
In session two, setting the starting order for round 23, Chi lapped within just 0.3 seconds of pole to secure fifth on the grid for the weekend’s second encounter with Fluxa taking an improved eighth and Rehm having to settle for 12th this time – albeit only six tenths away from pole.
Race one, the first ever GB3 encounter at Monza, was red flagged before the end of the first lap due to several incidents. The re-started race began with the cars in original grid order and Chi made a good launch, moving into the top five after cleanly passing Rehm into the Rettifilo Chicane. Fluxa too made good progress to climb into eighth on lap one, just behind Rehm who lost out at the Parabolica.
Following a brief Safety Car period on lap three racing resumed and all remained fairly static for the team, until Chi made a move for fourth at the Parabolica with just over a lap to go. He was edged back to fifth again into the first chicane, where he stayed to the flag, while Rehm grabbed sixth late on and Fluxa looked set to make it all three Hillspeeds nose-to-tail over the line, but he was pipped for seventh.
Sunday’s round 23 was a case of what might have been for all three drivers, both Chi and Rehm being taken out early on through no fault of their own and Fluxa losing the chance of a possible top four result late on after unfortunate contact under braking, so having to settle for 13th position.
Chi lined-up fifth and was well placed but after two cars tangled out of the chicane, one also made contact with Chi – ripping off his rear wing assembly and causing instant retirement. From 12th spot Rehm started well and was eighth when racing resumed on lap three after a Safety Car. Challenging for position into the Lesmos, he was aggressively forced onto the grass on the inside and into the barriers.
All hopes then rested with Fluxa who, ahead of the lap two Safety Car, had climbed through well from eighth to fourth. Two more Safety Car interventions were required in quick order and after those, at the lap eight re-start, Fluxa was fifth. Battling well in the bid for fourth place on lap nine, contact after an unfortunate lock-up into the Parabolica resulted in a trip through the gravel and a drop to 13th.
Round 24 was the highlight for Rehm and he showcased not only his speed, but also his racing ability after twice having to fight back into the lead. After the second of those passes, which came on lap five at the Rettifilo, he controlled things at the front despite huge pressure to seal an incredible win.
Fluxa and Chi shared row four on the grid and the former put together an excellent first few laps, rising into fourth on lap three and challenging hard before slipping back a place. Holding fifth into the final lap, Fluxa lost out into the first chicane and ended the race eighth. Chi slipped back to 11th place on lap one before battling back up to seventh, but finished 10th after running on at the chicane on lap eight.
Maxim Rehm – Rd24 Winner:
“I feel good, I feel amazing! Starting off the week, I didn’t think this would be possible. I didn’t go into this weekend with any expectations but we showed we were fast enough in the free practice and fast enough in the qualis and I think, yeah, that’s just proven that we’re plenty fast enough to win around here. I really love the car, it’s just amazing.”
Richard Ollerenshaw – Hillspeed Team Principal:
“It’s been fantastic to race at Monza for the first time in GB3, and what a way to end the season with a win in the final round. Maxim showed his ability and class all weekend, to win at this level on your debut is no mean feat. Both he and Newman showed their capability from the off, they gelled with the team straight away and we were hugely impressed by their performances.
“Lucas showed he had the pace to challenge for the podium again, it was so competitive between all of the top runners and he probably deserved more. Things didn’t quite work out for him in qualifying, but in the races he again showed his racecraft and speed. It’s been an exceptional season in GB3 this year for Hillspeed, now the work starts for 2026 with the new car upgrades.”
Final GB3Championship Team Standings
4th Hillspeed, 557pts
Final GB3 Championship Driver Standings
8th Lucas Fluxa, 258pts; 12th Freddie Slater, 203pts; 14th Kanato Le, 145pts; 18th Yuanpu Cui, 122pts; 19th Hiyu Yamakoshi, 121pts; 24th Michael Shin, 40pts; 36th Maxim Rehm, DNS; 38th Zhenrui Chi, DNS
