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From title rivals to teammates: Zac Meakin and Mikey Porter join forces for GT Open season finale

They were this year’s British GT GT4 championship title protagonists, battling each other on track throughout the 2024 season, but next weekend, Zac Meakin and Mikey Porter will team up for both their GT3 race debuts at the Temple of Speed.

Optimum Motorsport announces today that the team will return to the International GT Open for the first time since last year’s season finale at Barcelona, with a one-off entry into the final round at Monza, Italy.

The Wakefield-based squad will field the #84 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO in the Pro class, with British duo Zac Meakin and Mikey Porter joining forces where both will make their GT3 race debuts following a successful season racing on home soil in GT4 machinery.

Newly crowned British GT GT4 champion, Zac Meakin said: “I’m extremely excited to be moving up to GT3 and getting to race against the big leagues now. I can’t wait to race against a new field at Monza and I’m ready to give it all!”

British GT Silver drivers’ champion, Mikey Porter said: “I’m really looking forward to making my GT3 debut with Optimum Motorsport in the McLaren. I’m feeling confident going into the race weekend and with my teammate Zac after our recent success in British GT, I’m looking forward to the challenge!”

The action kickstarts Thursday 17th October with two test sessions before the official practice which gets underway Friday. The weekend’s timetable differs to the usual GT Open format as the season finale takes on a singular endurance race instead of the traditional two-race event.

Saturday morning will see one driver contest in a 30-minute qualifying session, with the other driver contesting in the second qualifying later that afternoon. The average lap time taken by each of their best laps will be used to determine each duos starting position for Sunday’s GT Open Monza 500.

Coverage of the event starts Saturday morning, with the action available live and for free on GT Open’s YouTube. Lights out for the main event on Sunday 20th at 12:00 CET (+1H BST).

Zac Meakin claimed the overall GT4 title in the British GT Championship at Brands Hatch last weekend (28/29 September) after a brilliant drive by the teenager in his McLaren Artura GT4.

He put in an outstanding effort in the opening half hour of the race to claim the race lead, one he and Optimum Motorsport teammate Jack Brown would hold to the chequered flag, winning their fourth race of the season and with it the championship.

Coming into the weekend Zac and Jack were in the fight for two titles – both the GT4 Drivers’ and GT4 Silver – with just a handful of points covering the main protagonists in both battles.

The pair were quick throughout the weekend, topping the GT4 times in free practice and pre-qualifying, as well as taking pole position some 0.8s clear of anyone else. Crucially, their time was also 1.7 seconds faster than their nearest title rivals, boding well for Sunday’s two-hour race.

Zac started the two-hour race but was confronted with one car spinning into the turn one gravel and another slow moving GT3 car, forcing the whole field to slow and take avoiding action. Consequently, two of his rivals were able to pass him on the run to turn two, but Zac was determined to regain the lost ground, quickly passing for second with a bold move into Paddock Hill Bend.

Not long afterwards he was attempting the same with the GT4 leader, which was their main title rival. That driver chopped across Zac’s nose coming up Hailwood Hill, causing a damage to the front of the McLaren. He pulled alongside 25 minutes in, as they went down Pilgrims Drop, but he yielded into Hawthorns rather than risking further contact.

A few laps later he finally made the move, getting alongside out of Graham Hill Bend and taking the place into Surtees. With his superior pace, Zac quickly pulled out a gap and enjoyed a big advantage before a Full Course Yellow (FCY) period as a GT3 car went off.

Handing over to Jack, during an extended FCY period that covered the pit stops, the race resumed with just over 40 minutes on the clock. However, by then the duo enjoyed almost a one lap advantage on the rest of the GT4 field after slick pit work paid dividends.

There would be another Safety Car interruption before the end of the race but by the time the flag fell the pair had done enough to secure the overall GT4 championship title, finishing an agonising 4.5 points away from adding the Silver title to their 2024 list of successes.

It was an excellent performance by Zac, not only across the weekend and by seizing the advantage in the race, but during the entire year – just his second in GT racing. He will now celebrate his success and enjoy some time off, before evaluating plans for the 2025 season.

Zac Meakin commented, “This title means everything to me. I didn’t have a great campaign last year, so it has been a complete redemption. It’s been a superb season as Jack did a brilliant job and, in the race, I put in quite a hard opening stint, and I was sweating when I came in. I managed to get the pass done for the lead and then with the McLaren in clear air, I pulled away and off I went.

“It was a good race. I managed to get in front and gave Jack a nice little lead. I knew I’d done my job as I’d got Jack to a safe place, and it was smooth sailing for him. It was one of those races where just everything came together, so it was all good and we came back home winning it the race and the title. The Optimum Motorsport team have been mega all year. There’s nothing I could say bad about them at all, they’ve just been amazing to work with.”

Shaun Goff: Team Principal, Optimum Motorsport, “Zac and Jack have both put in some superb driving performances this year. It’s a huge relief for everyone who had been working behind the scenes back at Optimum to ensure we had that championship win under our belt. I’m hugely proud of them both.”

Jess Edgar returned to F1 Academy action at the weekend (September 20-22), as she raced in the heat and humidity of Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Ultimately, it would be a frustrating visit to the country – located just north of the equator – for the 19-year-old, after a spin in the single 30-minute free practice session cost valuable time on track.

Under the lights during qualifying Jess improved throughout, finding time and moving up the order, but frustratingly ran out of time to climb further up the grid, finishing 13th quickest but a mere 0.038s from 11th.

Jess had a good start to the opening race in her American Express backed machine, but not feeling comfortable with the handling, wasn’t able to make forward progress, instead showing her skill to ensure she held onto 13th position, where she took the flag.

It was a similar story in race two where Jess started well but struggled with understeer, despite hard work by her Rodin Motorsport mechanics to improve the car. As the contest progressed under the heat of the afternoon sun, she fell back and crossed the line 15th.

Refusing to give up, Jess and Rodin Motorsport will work hard before back-to-back races to close the 2024 F1 Academy season, starting at Lusail in Qatar over the weekend of November 29 – December 1.

Championship: 10 (22 points)

Jess Commented: “It was a tough weekend and really frustrating. I pushed on my second lap in practice and spun, making contact with the barrier, which broke my rear wing and meant I could only complete one fast lap. That put me on the back foot for qualifying, where I was going faster and faster each lap, but I didn’t quite have enough time to show my true pace.

“In the races I just couldn’t find a balance with the car that I felt comfortable with, and we thought there might be a mechanical reason for that, so the team worked super hard that night to fix. Unfortunately, I still had understeer in race two, so I fell back. We will be working hard over the next couple of weeks to find a solution for Qatar.”

Ella Lloyd made an impressive debut appearance in F1 Academy at the weekend (September 20-22), recording a pair of point scoring finishes on the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore.

The 18-year-old from Wales joined the grid as the Wild Card Entry and competed in a special-edition livery and race suit to spotlight F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE, the series’ global programme aimed at changing perceptions of motorsport and inspiring the next generation of female talent.

She had just one 30-minute practice session to familiarise herself with the car and circuit, as well as contending with high heat and humidity, but things did not go to plan as she suffered a brake sensor problem, which caused the engine to cut out. Prema Racing, who were preparing the car, were able to remedy the problem, but it further hampered her progress.

Ella did not let that bother her however, as she worked hard to see where to improve for qualifying and put in an impressive performance, as she finished eighth quickest, where she would start for both races.

Unfortunately, her car moved slightly before the lights went out for race one and, though she didn’t gain a significant advantage, was penalised for a false start and given a five second time penalty. She had a good launch off the line, gaining two places on the opening lap, and then showed the same skill and prowess on track that she has all season in British F4, remaining in sixth position on track to the flag, ultimately being classified ninth.

Ella had another good start to race two and, despite the car ahead cutting the first corner, she toughed it out through turns two and three, making the move into turn four to gain seventh place. She had a look at gaining sixth but couldn’t get past and in the heat of the afternoon, overtaking was then at a premium, as she took the flag where she was.

With two solid point scoring finishes on her F1 Academy debut and setting quick lap times in the races, Ella proved her ability to compete on the world stage, even with a disrupted practice session.

The Welsh racer has a quick turnaround, as she will return to the United Kingdom to finish her F4 British Championship season, where she has three podiums so far this season. The final three races will take place on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit, in Kent, over the weekend of October 4-6.

Ella Lloyd is set to make her debut in F1 ACADEMY over the weekend of September 20-22), on the the Marina Bay Street Circuit, alongside the Singapore Grand Prix.

The teenager, from Pontypridd in Wales, will shine a light on F1 ACADEMY Discover Your Drive, which is a global programme aimed at changing perceptions of motorsport and inspiring the next generation of female talent.

Ella is currently undertaking her maiden year of single seater racing, in the F4 British Championship, where she has recorded three podiums with JHR Developments – including an incredible comeback at Knockhill where she finished second after being sent into a frightening roll the previous afternoon.

Before that she debuted in the Ginetta Junior Championship and in 2023 finished runner up in the GT5 Pro class of the Ginetta GT Championship, taking 10 wins and adding eight further podiums. Ella is also a keen showjumper, winning the 148 Bronze League area 35 Wales with her horse Elvira and was a gold medal winner at the Welsh Skiing Championship in 2019.

F1 ADACEMY is an ambitious project from Formula 1, which develops and prepares female drivers as they progress to higher levels of competition. The category is designed to give drivers access to more track time, racing and testing, as well as support with technical, physical, and mental preparations. It will provide young talent in junior categories with access to the fundamental level of experience needed to progress to Formula 3 and join the Road to F1.

Ella will tackle free practice and qualifying on Friday, September 20th, with race one the following day and race two taking place just a few hours before Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix.

Ella Lloyd

“I am very excited and honoured to be given the opportunity to be the F1 ACADEMY Wild Card entry in Singapore. My hard work and dedication throughout my rookie season in single seaters have led me to this amazing moment in my career and I am looking forward to putting everything I have learned into practice and making the most of the weekend. I will show everyone what I can do behind the wheel while making the most of the experience and hopefully inspiring other young female drivers to push for their dreams.”

Zac Meakin returned to British GT Championship action at the weekend (September 7/9), remaining in close battles for three series titles after a post-race penalty cost him a fourth GT4 Silver Cup victory.

After an almost two-month break in racing, the teenager travelled to Donington Park in Leicestershire for three test sessions on Thursday, where he and teammate Jack Brown finished quickest in GT4.

It was a damp and misty for free practice on Saturday morning, where the duo finished fastest in Silver and second quickest in GT4 overall. Conditions remained difficult for pre-qualifying, the pair ending second in Silver as a red flag ended things early.

Brown took part in the first 10-minute qualifying period, as the track remained damp but had a dry line, finishing fastest in GT4. Zac also drove well in his session, helping the McLaren Artura GT4 into second, an agonising 0.020s from the combined pole position.

Zac started the two-hour race, running fourth in GT4 on the opening lap and doing well when a rival looked to have taken the spot from him, tucking back in to regain the position. He ran closely behind the car ahead during the opening 30 minutes, putting the pressure back on as the pit window approached, getting through and closing in on leading two cars, being hampered by faster GT3 machines every time he looked to take the place.

Handing over to Brown, the car resumed battle fourth in Silver and sixth overall, having had a 20 second pitstop compensation time for victory at Snetterton, and the mandatory 24 seconds for GT4 Silver entrants. There was a Full Course Yellow period, before a two-lap restart to the flag, where the pair crossed the line third in GT4 and first in class. Unfortunately, after the contest, Brown was judged to have sped under FCY, and the car penalised, dropping them to fourth in class and 11th overall.

Zac now has just one final British GT Championship race of 2024, which takes place on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit over September 28/29, where he will be pushing to help secure both the Drivers’ and Silver titles, as well as the Teams’ Championship for Optimum Motorsport.

Zac Meakin commented, “It was a tough race as it is really hard to get past the Mustangs, so I had to get ready and set it up in advance, and I definitely wasn’t going to let the other one past when I managed to get the place back from it. Once I did that I pulled away, we managed to jump another car in the pits, which was a bonus, and it kept going from there. I sorted myself out as I was struggling a little mentally and had a bit of flu, but I had a good qualifying and on Sunday morning cleared my head. The car was mega all weekend, and the team performed phenomenally, so I have to thank them.”

Ella Lloyd returned to the F4 British Championship podium at the weekend (August 24/25), taking a third place at Donington Park after recording her best qualifying result of the year.

Coming into the Leicestershire venue on the back of a second place finish last time out, the Welsh racer had two practice sessions to finalise her car setup before qualifying on Saturday morning. That session took place on a wet track but Ella drove well despite the difficult conditions, finishing third fastest.

Lining up seventh for the opening race later that afternoon, the track was drying but remained damp in places, which caught the teenager out as she lined up a move on the inside into the Old Hairpin, catching a wet patch and spinning into retirement. In race two, a rescheduled contest from April, she took contact on the opening lap and would have to pit with damage late on, being classified 17th.

On Sunday morning, Ella had one of her strong starts and opening laps, making up five places before the Safety Car was called and gaining third place when another driver peeled into the pits. On the restart she did well to move into second and then put in a good defensive drive as the championship leader harried her all over the circuit. They managed to get by on the penultimate lap, but she kept pace to the flag, scoring a third podium of the season.

Hoping for more of the same in the final contest, which was shown live on ITV4 in the UK and worldwide on ITV Sport TikTok, but frustratingly took contact on the opening lap, falling to the back of the field. Refusing to give up, she fought back through, taking the flag in 11th position, but was handed a track limits penalty, moving her back one place in the classification.

With excellent progress made in her first year of single seater racing, Ella now looks ahead to the next three races of the F4 British Championship, which take place on the short and action-packed Silverstone National circuit, over the weekend of September (20-22).

Ella Lloyd commented: 

G1 – 7, R1 – DNF
G2 – 7, R2 – 17
G3 – 9, R3 – 3
G4 – 3, R4 – 12

Championship: 9 (91 points)

“I had a good start for the first race and going down the Craner Curves, I went for a move into the Old Hairpin, but it was a bit damp on the inside, so I locked up, and the rears came around. In race two I was turned around coming out of the Melbourne Hairpin and that put me to the back. I had some more contact towards the end, so we came into the pits as I had damage.

“I started ninth for the third race, but I was up to fourth on lap one, then someone boxed with damage, so I was into third. I had a really good Safety Car restart and took second around the outside of turn one and was battling with the championship leader after that. He managed to get by, but I kept pace with him to the flag as the car was the best it had been all weekend.

“I was running in third in race four, but had contact from the side which spun me around and dropped me right back. I had to push to make as many places up as I could but had a track limits penalty as well. Overall, I had my best qualifying of the year, with P3, and my second podium, so it wasn’t a bad weekend, and we’ll look ahead to Silverstone.”

Jess Edgar showed good speed in F1 Academy at the weekend (August 23-25), as the series held its second and final race in Europe, at Circuit Zandvoort in the Netherlands.

The Cumbrian lined up once again in her American Express car, operated by Rodin Motorsport, for two races around the 2.646-mile (4.259-km) venue, which winds its way around the sand dunes to the north of the town.

In a blustery and later wet first practice session, Jess finished ninth quickest but only 0.6s from the fastest time, while in a dry FP2 she finished fourth, just 0.3s off. Unfortunately, in a fully wet qualifying she struggled with the car a little before a red flag and afterwards was unable to find a clear gap in traffic, finishing with an unrepresentative pair of lap times.

With the weather continuing to make things challenging on the North Sea coast, the first of the weekend’s races was postponed on Saturday afternoon, moving to early the following morning for a reduced 13 laps. Starting on the damper side of the grid, she fell back at the start and thereafter couldn’t find a clear route past the cars ahead, taking the flag in 12th.

After a quick turnaround, Jess was back out for race two, aiming to give it everything she had in the 17-lap contest. Frustratingly, she stalled at the start and while doing her best to recover, she caught a huge pack of cars stretching from fifth to 16th but would have to settle for where she was, finishing 16th.

With a shorter turnaround before the next round of the F1 Academy season, Jess will be working and training hard for the hot, humid, and physical challenge of the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore, over the weekend of September 20-22.

Championship: 8 (22 points)

Jess Commented: “FP1 was the closest that I’ve been all year in Free Practice so, I think it was a step in the right direction and FP2 was a lot closer to where I feel like I should be. In qualifying I should have been a bit higher, but I gave it all I had. I was struggling a little bit with the car, and then after the Red Flag I was stuck in traffic, so it wasn’t how I’d have liked it to have gone.

“With a wet grid box in race one I had a bad start and dropped back, and I struggled to come back through. It’s quite a hard track to overtake on because there are quite a lot of fast corners. Race two I felt that I had nothing to lose and to do the best I could, and then I stalled at the start. I think there’s a lot to learn from the weekend and we will keep working hard up until Singapore and try to do a better job there.”

VIRginia International Raceway was the venue for latest round of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, with Ben Barnicoat and his Vasser Sullivan team back in action. The GT-only event had a smaller grid than normal, but maintained all the usual IMSA race action from start to finish, as Ben and his teammate, Jack Hawksworth, battled to a hard fought P6 at the flag.

Heading into the closing stages of the 2024 season, and still in the title fight, Lexus and the Vasser Sullivan team was looking for a strong result as they arrived in Virginia. Early session pace looked strong, and Jack’s qualifying run would eventually see the #14 Lexus RC F GT3 secure a third-row grid slot.

Action got underway in warm temperatures, and things started to heat up immediately after the green flag dropped, with action throughout the field. Jack held position in the GTD Pro class, while making overall gains in the opening 30 minutes, laying solid foundations before the first routine stop with two hours remaining. Shortly after rejoining the track, however, a late lunge from a chasing Porsche resulted in contact, sending the #14 into a spin. Despite losing ground, Jack quickly recovered, and steadily regained ground over the remainder of the stint.

Heading into the final 60-minutes, the GTD field headed for the pitlane for a final routine service, while the Vasser Sullivan team rolled the dice with strategy. With a busy pitlane, the call was made for the #14 to remain on track, gaining positions while running in clear air. The following lap saw a slick stop completed by the crew, with a full service and a switch to Ben for the final sprint to the line.

With the strategies playing out across the field, Ben was back out on track, running in P7, and he wasted no time getting up to speed. From here, he closed down the gap ahead, making a move stick to climb to P6 in the GTD Pro class. Then, with just over two hours of green flag running completed, a Full Course Yellow temporarily halted any further progress. However, with the field bunched up from the restart, Ben immediately took advantage, and gained a further overall position, before an impressive display of defensive driving over the closing laps.

As the laps counting down, further gains would not be possible, but Ben maintained his composure as he came under increasing pressure from the chasing pack. Despite continual attempts to pass, the young Brit held his nerve and performed faultlessly to bring home sixth at the line, scoring a haul of important championship points.

Summarising the weekend, Ben explained:

A very hot day, but, this VIR track is always a pleasure to drive. It’s such a great layout, but it’s very hard for racing and, obviously, we started a little further back than we wanted. I think we made a great strategy call on the first stop to pit a little bit early, but unfortunately, Jack got spun by a competitor on his outlap. If that hadn’t had happened, I think our race would have panned out very differently today. That spin, unfortunately, put us in traffic and it is very hard to overtake. We couldn’t get back out into clean air, so then it was just about getting what we could, and it was a really hard battle at the end for sixth position. We got that job done, and salvaged a few points to close the gap going into the last two races of the year. It was definitely a hard-earned P6, and huge thanks to everyone at Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing for giving it their all again this weekend.

With this latest P6 finish, a slight shift in the championship order sees Ben and teammate Jack now fourth in the standings with two rounds remaining. The penultimate event of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Sportcar Championship heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 19-22 September, for the Battle on the Bricks.

A strong performance from Zac Meakin and teammate Jack Brown ensured a good haul of points and more silverware, converting a pole position into victory after a dominant race two display at Snetterton last weekend (13/14 July).

The number 90 Optimum Motorsport crew came into the race weekend with a slim three-point advantage at the top of the championship standings, but crucially for their title aspirations, they would not have to serve the additional time penalty for podium success in their pit stop this time.

Things got off to a good start with Jack going third fastest during the first of two qualifying sessions on Saturday to determine the grids for the two races. Zac followed up in the second session by going fastest of all, securing pole position for race two.

Jack started the first hour-long contest at the Norfolk circuit, getting a good start amongst the congested field. Before long he found himself stuck in a Mustang sandwich, unable to pass the Ford in front due to its straight-line performance, but also unable to make the most of the McLaren’s superior cornering ability due to his rival defending. Consequently, the team decided to pit and put Zac in to undercut their rivals. Unfortunately, the plan didn’t work but Zac was still able to bring the car home in fifth place for more valuable championship points.

Race two was a much more straight forward affair, with Zac using the McLaren’s slippery aerodynamic profile to build an 11 second lead in clean air from pole position. Handing over to Jack on lap 17, they initially dropped down the order before the rest of the pit stops played out. A late Safety Car to rescue a stranded car led to a three-lap dash to the flag, but Jack seized the advantage as soon as racing resumed with a bold more around the outside of turn one for the lead.

The result means the duo remain at the top of the GT4 standings with a narrow 2.5 point advantage, but they’ll have to wait seven weeks until the penultimate round of the 2024 season at Donington Park on the 7/8 September.

Zac Meakin commented, “It was a good weekend, just to shame with race one, but we’ll come back with eight trophies next time, instead of four! Qualifying was a little bit difficult, but we still managed to get P1. Jack had a little mistake, which cost us a little bit of time in the last corner, but we were P3 for the first race.

“Race one was a bit difficult against the Mustang GT 3.5! All cars have their advantages, the Mustang makes up all its time down the straights, where we make it around the corners. So, it’s just race ability that’s difficult for us. We were trying to see if we could undercut the Mustangs to try to get a little bit out more in front, so we wouldn’t have to battle with them.

“It’s a pain because we were getting held up a bit, but it’s just how it goes. I tried to pull every trick out of the book to try and get past them, it is very difficult with it being not a single make series, every car has their advantages. I think if it was any other car we would have had a bit more of a chance of passing, it’s just really difficult to actually get past them.

“From pole in race two, we just managed to get in clean air, which the McLaren likes. I got a mega start, and everything just went up and up and up from there. I managed to keep clear of the GT3s, and built a big gap, which made it a little bit easier for Jack against the Pro Ams. Then he put in a brilliant move around the outside for the lead at the first corner, so it’s mega!”

Ella Lloyd continued to show her race craft in the F4 British Championship, as she took a pair of top-10 finishes on her first visit to Zandvoort in the Netherlands at the weekend (July 11-14).

The Welsh teenager, who races with JHR Developments, was hampered in free practice on Thursday, only getting six laps in across both sessions with a gearbox problem and red flags hampering her preparations. That didn’t trouble her however, as heading into a wet qualifying session on Friday, she recorded the ninth quickest time.

Ella had a brilliant start to race one on Saturday, again under wet conditions, moving from fifth on the grid into second off the line, but going into the high-speed Scheivlak corner, put a wheel on the grass and had a trip through the gravel, falling to almost last of the runners. From there she mounted a spirited comeback, making her way back through to 12th position at the flag.

Race two was abandoned later that afternoon, when a technical fault led to a multiple-car incident, and was rescheduled for Sunday morning, under dry and sunny skies. With another good start, she took two places to third, but hampered by her lack of practice laps, fell back two positions, though then put on a defensive masterclass, holding that place to the end of the contest.

Ella was on the move again in race three, taking eighth in the early stages, before a red flag when several cars went off. Once it restarted, she lined up seventh having just made up another place, and remained in that spot for the remainder, capping a solid weekend of finishes and points scores.

There is now a four-week break for Ella before she returns to the F4 British Championship, which next heads to Knockhill in Scotland for rounds 19, 20, and 21 of the season.

Ella Lloyd commented: 

G1 – 5, R1 – 12
G2 – 4, R2 – 5
G3 – 9, R3 – 7

Championship: 10 (63 points)

“In Thursday practice I only completed six laps as I had a gearbox problem, and the second session was red flagged. Qualifying in the wet put me back into contention, because no one else has had wet testing at Zandvoort, so finishing P9 was good but I think there was a bit more in the lap.

“Race one I lined up fifth and had a good start but took a bit too much speed into turn seven and dipped a wheel on the grass, so went off and was almost last. I kept pushing forward and made my way back up to P12, which was a good recovery, but we had the potential for a podium if I hadn’t made the mistake. It was wet and visibility was low, but we have to get on with it and deal with it.

“I had a really good start to race two, moving to P3, but as I didn’t have much practice, I was on the back foot. I pushed as much as I could, felt where the grip was, tried my hardest, and I think my defending was pretty decent. I had another good start for race three, though it was a bit tight on the first few corners. I was fighting with another driver for a while and we were side-by-side through T6, and I was squeezed on the grass a bit, the car next to me touched me and had a moment, and I am not sure what happened then, but the red flag came out. We had a decent Safety Car restart and a good run to the flag. My racing has shown this weekend, especially only having six laps in practice, and we were quick in the wet and dry, as well as scoring good points for the championship.”

Ben Barnicoat was back behind the wheel of the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 at Watkins Glen over the weekend, taking on another endurance event in a busy month for the 27-year old. A topsy-turvy race, with multiple incidents, heavy rain and a red flag, saw Ben and his teammate Jack Hawksworth show race-leading pace, but a penalty and the weather would play against their strategy, eventually claiming P4, helping to close the gap on the championship lead.

Qualifying for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen took place in very warm, sunny conditions, and Jack showed the potential of the fluro yellow and black Lexus, pushing towards the top of the timing screens. As times continued to improve, the Vasser Sullivan entry also moved up the order, and would eventually end the session on the second row. From here, as the lights went green for the start of the race, Jack held position, managing several early Full Course Yellow restarts. Slick work during a pitstop just before the end of the opening hour allowed the #14 to make up positions, and Jack rejoined the race at the front of the GTD Pro field.

Ben took over, just before the two-hour mark, and joined the Watkins Glen circuit holding a strong lead, before a further extended Full Course Yellow interruption neutralised his advantage. Ben led the field away and headed towards a chaotic second half of the race, before the weather delivered its first twist, and a drive through penalty saw the #14 briefly drop down the order. Changeable weather over the following hour saw strategy calls to switch from slick tyres, while further Full Course Yellow periods also shook up the order. As the race approached two-thirds distance, and with a dry line appearing, Ben battled hard over several laps to close in on the podium positions, making the pass on the Corvette just after the four-hour mark.

A further twist came shortly after, as the skies darkened once again, and a sudden heavy downpour hit the circuit. Ben managed to negotiate the slippery surface and brought the RC F GT3 into the pitlane slightly ahead of the scheduled stop, but quick reactions from the team adjust the strategy, and the full service stop switched Ben out for the final stint as the rain got progressively worse.

With a Full Course Yellow called shortly after Ben stopped, and the pitlane now closed, the #14 returned to the track as one of the only cars running on the right tyres for the conditions. At this point, with several cars skidding off the track, the race was red flagged for more than an hour. However, with the conditions improving, the race got back underway but, what had been the right tyres at the time, soon became the wrong ones as a dry line emerged so Jack was forced back into the pits to make a further change.

After this final stop, Ben watched on from the pitwall with the #14 running in P6. With the clock counting down, and the field now running at full race pace again, the GTP field worked its way through the GTD cars, and Jack made the most of the opportunity with a pass, back up to 5th, before the class leader was forced to stop for a late splash of fuel, allowing the Vasser Sullivan team to gain a further spot. After six hard hours of racing in extremely challenging conditions, the #14 Lexus RC F GT3 claimed P4.

Reflecting on a tough race, Ben explained:

P4 on the day, which is where we started, but there was a lot in between! We definitely had a car capable of winning, but things just didn’t quite fall our way today. It kind of went wrong when we got the drive through penalty for the safety car procedure infringement, which is something that feels like it wasn’t super fair, but when these things come you just have to take them.

We recovered well after that, but got a little bit unlucky with the weather and the red flag. We made the right call to put wets on when it rained, but then the lengthy red flag meant that everyone who was on the slick tyres were able to stay out and make it to the end. The huge positives from the weekend are that the team gave us a great race car this weekend, which had strong pace, and we took a step closer to the championship lead.

Arriving at the weekend P2 in the championship, and outscoring the current leaders, Ben and Jack have now further closed the gap to the championship lead. Next up is Canadian Tyre Motorsport Park, over the weekend 12-14 July.

Ella Lloyd enjoyed her best weekend to date in the F4 British Championship, as she claimed her maiden podium finish on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.

One of two standalone events for the series, which races for much of the year alongside the British Touring Car Championship, the Welsh youngster demonstrated her skill on track once again, gaining places on track and enjoying three top-seven finishes.

Conditions were difficult in qualifying, as the track was wet and damp with a drying line. Ella went out on slick tyres, carefully building up temperature as she went for her fastest laps at the end of the session, finishing 12th quickest overall and 11th on second best times.

With penalties applied, she started tenth for the opening contest that afternoon, which began under sunny skies, and had yet another brilliant first lap, gaining four places before the Safety Car was called. Once racing resumed, she more than held her own despite constant pressure, retaining her fifth position to the flag.

Ella lined up on pole for race two, with her JHR Developments teammates behind, on a bright and sunny Sunday morning. She was pipped off the line, despite a good start, slotting into second position, but as another driver tried to pass at Village and The Loop, she was pushed wide and lost momentum.

As that happened, the Safety Car boards were shown while four cars managed to get past, leaving Ella in sixth. However, after the race, those drivers were penalised for doing so, promoting her back into second place, meaning she scored her maiden podium in British F4.

She had yet another good start to race three, moving up four places to run seventh, battling with two of her JHR teammates before another Safety Car. When the track went green, she kept good pace, but once again suffered with the aerodynamic losses while following the car ahead, crossing the line seventh and scoring more valuable points.

Ella returns to F4 British Championship action in a month’s time over the weekend of July 12-14, as the series heads to mainland Europe for the first time, for three races at Circuit Zandvoort, home of the Dutch Grand Prix.

Ella Lloyd commented: 
Race 1 – 5th
Race 2 – 2nd
Race 3 – 7th

Championship: 10 (51 points)

“Qualifying was difficult as it was wet, but we went on slicks, so the quickest lap was at the end, which made it difficult to get two fast times in. I had a really good start to race one, passed three or four cars before the first corner, and made it to fifth when the Safety Car came out. I held my position after the restart, though it was difficult because the rain came, but I kept pushing and kept the place.

“My start to race two was good, just not as good as Leo [Robinson]’s, so he got me off the line. I was sitting P2, and a car pushed me wide over the kerb, which helped two more cars get past, and at least one more passed me under the Safety Car. Once we went racing, because of there being so many high-speed corners, you lose front downforce. I was quicker than the cars ahead, but just didn’t have any opportunities to overtake.

“I didn’t have a bad start to race three. In the first few laps I could see the cars battling in front, so I made the most of the opportunities that were given to me. I set myself up to take advantage as they were losing time, getting the right line and better exits to set up moves into the next corner. After the Safety Car it was like a train again, as you lose speed in the high-speed corners, but my race pace was decent. Zandvoort will be a new track for me, so hopefully we can keep improving there.”

A hard battle for Ben Barnicoat in Detroit saw the young Brit, and his Vasser Sullivan teammates, secure a third podium of his 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship campaign. The action-packed race saw incidents from start to finish around the tight street circuit, with the #14 Lexus RC F GT3 heavily battle scarred as Ben crossed the line in P2 to score important championship points.

Racing as part of the IndyCar Detroit GP weekend, Ben and the team arrived with fond memories of the city, but looking at a new experience. Back in 2022, Ben scored his first race IMSA win, and a first with Lexus at the Detroit round of the calendar, but the event took place at the historic Belle Isle Park. The IMSA calendar returns to ‘Motor City’, after a year away, but the team would make a debut outing on the street circuit, downtown.

The initial sessions saw the team lacking overall pace, but making progress as they got to grips with the circuit layout. Pace improved, and the #14 moved up the order with each run, before Jack took on qualifying. His pace was immediately strong, fighting near the top of the timing screens throughout the shootout session. With times improving, Jack was firmly in the fight for pole position, eventually ending the session on the second row.

Under blue skies, Jack held position on the inside line away from the start, but was quickly promoted to P2 as the pole-sitter w forced to pit at the end of the opening lap, just before the first Full Course Yellow caution was thrown. He was then under the rear wing of the leader following the restart, hustling for position over the duration of his stint. As strategies played out, Jack pitted with just over 70 minutes remaining, running in a solid P2, and switched for Ben.

Ben took to the track before another caution period, which closed the field, and allowed him to immediately press as the track returned to green flag racing. A strong move just after the restart saw the RC F GT3 sustain front end damage, as the leader defended hard into the braking zone, and Ben briefly dropped a position as he recovered. Shortly after, another Full Course Yellow was called following contact between several cars, and Ben did well to avoid further incident as he came across a completely blocked circuit. As the track was cleared, Ben got back underway, now in P2, but having to drive with heavy damage.

Despite this handicap, Ben continued to battle hard, and kept pace with the leader for several laps before several further caution periods, which brought the field back together as the timer ran down. The closing laps saw Ben manage the pace well, continuing to pressure the leader, while comfortably managing the gap to the chasing pack behind. As the chequered flag flew, Ben claimed P2, strengthening the position in the championship, and keeping the title defence alive.

After the hard-fought street battle, Ben explained:

“That was a crazy race, but first I think we’ve got to look at where we started this weekend. On Friday morning in practice, we were lacking quite a bit of pace to our competition. But, a huge credit to Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing, as we worked hard and just kept on improving every time we hit the track, allowing allowed Jack to qualify in P3. That gave us a real opportunity, especially on a street course like this, which is so tight and hard to pass.

“Heading into the race, we all knew it was going to be a crazy race. We had a very early yellow, but Jack was holding P2, then I got going after the yellow and the #4 Corvette braked super early into turn 3. The gap was there, I went for it and then once I was in the gap I think he realized he braked too early, tried to cover me off and just drove me into the wall. Unfortunately, we hit him, dropped back a spot, and from that point I’m just very fortunate that we were able to finish the race as the car had a lot of damage, but we still showed fairly good pace and was able to hang onto P2 comfortably. Obviously, I’m sorry to the Vasser Sullivan guys that the car is scraped up, but I’m very happy with a P2 finish and good points. With six races to go, we’ve just got to keep working.”

IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship action returns at the end of the month for Ben, at Watkins Glen. The Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen takes place 20-23 June.

Zac Meakin suffered bad luck at the weekend (June 21-23) but remains on top of the GT4 standings as the British GT Championship made a return visit to the historic Spa-Francorchamps.

Coming into the weekend things looking positive for Zac and teammate Jack Brown after going fastest in the free practice sessions. Heading into qualifying on Saturday afternoon, proceedings were brought to an abrupt halt when another car went off at speed, meaning the session was cancelled and the grid would be determined by the aggregated times of each car’s driver from pre-qualifying.

With Jack unable to set a representative lap, after a red flag led to the cancellation of what would have been his quickest time, the Optimum Motorsport duo would line up ninth overall and third in the Silver Cup for Sunday’s two-hour contest.

Zac would take the opening stint of the race, which only lasted two corners before the Safety Car was called as GT3 cars tangled, then becoming a red flag as barrier repairs were required. The teenager did well to stop quickly to avoid hitting one of the stricken machines, but unfortunately, took damage after the car behind made contract with his McLaren Artura.

After a 25-minute delay, the race resumed, this time running to 75% of the distance or 90 minutes in duration. It therefore became an exercise in damage limitation, with the performance of the car compromised, although Zac enjoyed a side-by-side battle with Luca Hopkinson through Eau Rouge for position and made on track gains to keep the car in contention.

Handing over to Jack to finish the race, the duo had to serve not only the mandatory 24 seconds as a Silver pairing, but also an additional 20 seconds compensation time for their victory at Donington Park. Battling on, after the race came to a conclusion, the duo were classified seventh in class, but remain on top of the overall GT4 standings.

Zac will return to British GT Championship action in just a few weeks’ time, as he heads to Snetterton in Norfolk for a pair of one-hour races, over July 12-14.

Zac Meakin commented, “Free practice and testing were good, and we were always up there battling for the top spots. Then qualifying got cancelled, which was a bit frustrating, because we were ninth on the grid as it was set by a combination of both times from Pre-qualifying. I had set a time, in that session, and just as Jack got in to set his fastest lap, the red flag came out, and it cancelled his time.

“At the start of the race I braked to avoid a BMW but the car behind didn’t have the same stopping distance, so it hit me and did a bit of damage, because there was something wrong with the rear right of the car. From there on we were just trying to do the best job that we could and keep with all the faster cars.

“There are always ups and downs in motorsport, so hopefully the next one is an up. It was a tough weekend, and we didn’t end up with the results we wanted. We’re still leading the championship and at least we’re not carrying any success penalties going into Snetterton.”

Ella Lloyd once again demonstrated her race craft and overtaking abilities in the F4 British Championship, as she raced at the UKs fastest circuit, Thruxton, at the weekend (June 7-9).

The Welsh youngster had plenty to do in the three 20-minute races, after a difficult qualifying session on Saturday morning left her down the order. She quickly made amends in the opening contest later that afternoon, marching forward seven places, before red flags halted proceedings.

With the positions then being rolled back to the previous lap, she lost some of those gains, but still held her own and was classified a solid 10th. It was a similar story for race two on Sunday lunchtime, as she made strong forward progress, but red flags were shown, and the grid set back to its original order.

On the second start, she closed in on a pair of cars battling through the chicane and slowing each other down, giving Ella nowhere to go. Smartly realising she had lost or damaged her front wing after making contact, she dove into the pits for a replacement, minimising any lost time. However, with only a short Safety Car period, she wasn’t able to catch the rest of the pack and challenge for further places.

The final contest of the weekend was pushed back until the end of the day, owing to timetable delays, and with time running out, it was held for a shortened 17 minutes, behind the Safety Car instead of a warm-up lap and standing start. With the pack stretched out, overtaking was difficult, and as a car stopped on track with a problem, the Safety Car returned, running to the flag with no further racing taking place.

Having demonstrated that she has the ability to overtake and make her way forwards on track, Ella now looks forward to a quick return to racing, as the F4 British Championship travels to Silverstone this weekend (June 14-16), on the full Grand Prix circuit.

Ella Lloyd commented:

G1 – 17, R1 – 10
G2 – 18, R2 – 17
G3 – 18, R3 – 15

Championship: 13 (23 points)

“I started quite far back for race one as I didn’t have the best qualifying, but I had a really good first two laps before the red flag. I was already up to P10, so my race craft stood out, which made a big difference, as if you can race you can get through the field quite quickly. When the red flag was shown the order went back a lap, so I restarted 11th, and I stayed around there for the rest of the race as it was a lot calmer than the first start.

“I had a really good start for race two, but when the red flags came out, they went back to the original starting positions so all the gains I made were lost. When we restarted, the cars in front were battling and had some contact at the chicane, and I ended up losing my front wing. I knew it had happened right away, so I shot straight into the pits to make sure I didn’t lose too much time, but we didn’t manage to catch the Safety Car train. We were only told on the grid for race three that it was going to be a Safety Car start and you can’t do too much when you’re all in a line. We only had six laps of racing and it ended behind the Safety Car, so there wasn’t much I could do.”

A last-minute call up saw reigning IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship champion, Ben Barnicoat, travel to Japan for round 2 of the Super Formula calendar. Racing at Autopolis, Ben joined Itochu Enex Team IMPUL for a one-off entry into the championship, and he delivered an impressive performance across the full weekend, on his debut in the series and at the circuit. After a tough qualifying session, Ben made great gains during the race to move through the field, eventually claiming P13, and setting the fastest lap of the race, against highly seasoned competition.

A last-minute call up saw reigning IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship champion, Ben Barnicoat, travel to Japan for round 2 of the Super Formula calendar. Racing at Autopolis, Ben joined Itochu Enex Team IMPUL for a one-off entry into the championship, and he delivered an impressive performance across the full weekend, on his debut in the series and at the circuit. After a tough qualifying session, Ben made great gains during the race to move through the field, eventually claiming P13, and setting the fastest lap of the race, against highly seasoned competition.

“It was a whirlwind few days, from finishing the race at Laguna Seca to then being on a plane to Japan to be ready for the first practice session was wild, but an opportunity that I am hugely grateful and excited for. The chance to be a part of the rookie test last season was a fantastic experience, but I never expected a race seat to come from it. To be handed to the chance to race at Autopolis, and join Team IMPUL, was a really exciting challenge, and I have loved every minute of it.”

Saturday was a challenging day on track for Ben. It saw him take to the Autopolis Circuit for the very first time for his 90-minute FP1 practice session. This being the only time Ben had to re-acquaint himself back into the SF23 car, understand and learn his new team dynamic, and get to grips with this high-speed and technical track before qualifying later in the day.

Even though qualifying is a 10-minute open session, in the Super Formula series it becomes a one lap attack and shootout to make the top-6 positions to advance to the shootout session. Despite his best efforts, Ben didn’t find quite enough speed on his single flying lap to progress to Q2, locking in a grid position of 17th for the 41-lap race on Sunday.

The race marked Ben’s first standing race start in over four years and, despite this lack of recent experience, the young Brit proved he was still as sharp as ever, gaining positions away from the grid. Tyre degradation near the end of the opening stint meant Ben had to manage his pace, dropping back slightly, behind competitors on the alternative ‘undercut’ strategy. However, with new tyres fitted at the pitstop, he then proved his overall race pace, challenging for positions in the closing laps and setting the fastest lap of the race to close out a successful debut Super Formula weekend.

Summarising his debut Super Formula weekend, Ben added:

‍“I cannot thank everyone enough who was involved in making this weekend happen for me. I have been welcomed by the whole team, the championship and the incredible fans, and really feel part of the Super Formula family even after just a few days. Qualifying was always going to be tough with such little time to prepare, but the race itself was an amazing experience, and to be able to fight all the way through was great fun. Taking the fastest lap of the race on debut was the cherry on the cake. It was a huge challenge, and was a very different experience to my ‘normal’ day job in the GT3 car, but I’m happy to show my skills in being able to adapt to new cars and environments quickly. I am leaving Japan with a huge smile on my face. A big thank you to everyone at Toyota Gazoo Racing, Team IMPUL, Lexus Racing USA, Toyota Racing Development, and everyone who made this experience possible.”

Ben is back in action, 31 May-1June, for the Detroit Grand Prix as he returns to the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.

Young Welsh racer Ella Lloyd built on her recent F4 British Championship promise with her best qualifying and race results as she travelled to Snetterton in Norfolk, at the weekend (May 24-26).

Finishing sixth fastest of anyone in the morning session of pre-event testing, the teenager was able to carry that performance into qualifying. Despite difficult, wet weather conditions, she finished eighth on fastest times, and seventh on second quickest laps.

Lining up seventh on the grid for the opening race, held later that afternoon, Ella started well in her JHR Developments machine, running comfortably in that position until a late Safety Car bunched the field up. That didn’t put her under pressure, however, as she pulled over a second clear of the car behind, scoring her best result so far in the series.

On Sunday morning the track was wet for the second contest of the weekend, with the partially reversed grid meaning Ella lined up fourth. Getting wheel spin off the line, she fell to ninth but quickly moved back up to sixth before the Safety Car was called again. Unfortunately, while trying to build tyre temperatures, she spun, falling back to ninth, where she crossed the line.

On slicks for race three, she took contact on the opening lap, bending her steering, she did well to continue, though had lost places in the process. After the third Safety Car appearance of the weekend, Ella battled with another driver, leaving fair room through the fast Brundle corner at the end of the Bentley Straight. Sadly, the car alongside then lost control, hitting the kerb at Nelson, taking Ella out on the spot.

Just as that happened, however, the red flag was shown as a thunderstorm swept over the circuit, making it unsafe to continue, meaning the final classification would be taken from the last full racing lap, leaving her 12th in the results.

Though the weekend ended on a lower note, it was another strong performance for the youngster, as she proved her ability to compete at the front end of a competitive British F4 grid. She will return to action in two weeks’ time at the UK’s fastest circuit, Thruxton, in Hampshire.

Ella Lloyd commented: 

G1 – 7, R1 – 7
G2 – 4, R2 – 9
G3 – 9, R3 – 12

Championship: 11 (21 points)

“Qualifying was difficult in the wet, but P7 was my best result so far and I was pleased with that. In the first race I finished seventh as well, which was good, so it was nice to be back where we should be after a hard weekend at Brands Hatch.

“The conditions in race two were difficult, though the car was good. I started P4 and had a tough start with a lot of wheel spin. We were sixth for most of the race, catching fifth, and under the Safety Car I tried to give the rear wheels some temperature and spun, which isn’t ideal, but it was my mistake and I had to pay for it. P9 wasn’t a bad finishing position though. On the first lap of race three I had contact, which bent my steering, and the wheel was pointing to the left. Then someone went over the kerb and wiped me out, ending my race, just before the rain came.”

The IMSA WeatherTech Sportswear Championship returned over the weekend, with Ben Barnicoat back in familiar surroundings, competing in the GTD Pro class with his #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus teammate, Jack Hawksworth. The pair delivered another strong result, combining to finish in P4 at the Course du Monterey, at the iconic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Off the back of GTD success on the Long Beach streets, the championship remained in California, and Ben returned to the GTD Pro class. Initial pace for the familiar #14 fluro yellow and black Lexus RC F GT3 put him, and teammate Jack, at the sharp end of the field in the opening sessions. Jack took on qualifying, having been quickest in the final free practice session around the newly resurfaced 2.238-mile circuit. Jack claimed a second-row grid slot as the close battle at the front ended.

The 2 hour 40 minute race got underway beneath typically Californian blue skies, and Ben watched on as Jack held position from the start. An incident-free opening stint saw the field relatively unchanged before the pitstop window opened. As the leader pitted, the Vasser Sullivan team opted to stay out for an additional lap, gaining track position. With new tyres and fully fuelled, Jack stayed in for a second stint, before a Full Course Yellow period split the field, with several of the GTD Pro cars still owing a first stop.

With the order reset after the restart, the #14 moved into the podium positions once again as the second round of stops commenced. A decision to extend this middle stint saw the lead group take to the pitlane, while Ben waited eagerly to take over for the final run to the flag. The decision to run later than the rest of the field saw the #14 take the lead before Ben took over.

As he joined the circuit, Ben was immediately into traffic, running in P5. He was quickly up to speed, holding position over the opening laps of his stint. With the lead GTP battle unfolding in the final laps of the race, Ben was able to make negotiating traffic work to his advantage, and with five minutes remaining, he made a move at turn 4, following the leader through to climb back up to P4. From here, he then held station and brought the #14 home to score important championship points.

Summarising the Laguna Seca weekend, Ben explained:

“Today was just one of those days where we realised, early on, that we didn’t have the pace to win the race, and looked to rely more heavily on strategy. What can we do? What can’t we do? The overcut looked quite powerful in the first stop, which helped us move forward, but we dropped back to fourth as we didn’t quite have the pace. Then, we tried another overcut at the end in the last pit stop cycle, and we were undercut by a competitor and came out in fifth. I was able to make a move to pass the No. 3, but it was a tough race, and we gave it everything we had. I think we have to see a fourth-place finish as almost an internal win. It was the best we had and, on days when you’re not quite quick enough, you just have to do your best. I’m proud of everyone here for doing that.

“Everyone at Vasser Sullivan and Lexus optimised what we had today to score this result. Jack had a great run, kept the car clean and in one piece, as I did in my run. It is great to leave the weekend second in the driver’s standings, and really looking forward to being back out in Detroit.”

The championship stays in The result moves Ben and the #14 Vasser Sullivan entry up to P2 in the driver championship, heading back to a street circuit, as the championship takes on the Detroit Grand Prix weekend, 31 May-1June. for its next round, and Ben returns to GTD Pro action at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca, 10-12 May, 2024.

17-year-old Zac Meakin once again stepped onto the top step of the British GT Championship podium, wining round four of the series at Donington Park at the weekend (25/26 May), to move to the top of the GT4 standings.

After success last time out at Silverstone, hopes were high for further silverware at the Derbyshire venue, and things were looking good after topping the times in pre-event testing. Zac qualified third fastest in his group, but once the times were combined with teammate Jack Brown’s, they lined up second on the grid, just two tenths shy of P1.

Rain greeted all the team and drivers on race day, but after a wet warm up session, the track dried. As the cars were leaving the grid to start the formation lap for the three-hour race it began to rain heavily, leading the officials to abort the start. 10 minutes later, after all the cars had swapped to wet tyres the race began, behind the Safety Car.

Two laps later they were racing, and Zac hounding Stuart Middleton for the lead, eventually passing with a great move into the Melbourne Hairpin. With the track quickly drying, tyre management became key, so Zac dropped back behind Jamie Day and Alex Walker before pitting, playing the long game.

Jack took over the pair’s McLaren Artura GT4, now fitted with slick tyres, for his first stint. Not long after, a huge downpour, brought out the red flag after seven cars became stranded in the gravel, with Jack himself doing well to avoid being stuck, having also gone wide at the same corner.

Racing resumed 45-minutes later, once conditions improved, with Zac back behind the wheel. He began progressing through the field and within a few laps, was leading GT4 and managing the pace, despite numerous caution periods. Pitting for the final time, and with 20 seconds of Compensation Time add due to their win at Silverstone, Jack went back out to bring the car home for impressive back-to-back victories.

Now with a clear advantage at the top of both the GT4 Silver Cup and GT4 Drivers’ standings, Zac will be looking forward to his next outing in the British GT Championship, which will take place at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium over 22/23 June.

Zac Meakin commented, “I’m definitely getting used to being on the top step; it’s the best feeling! From Thursday on we’ve always been up there in the times, and always been competitive. I managed to get P3 in qualifying. I just missed out on pole, but the race was challenging with all the different conditions. For my stints it was always raining, and for Jack’s it was dry, but it’s all paid off. We had 20 seconds extra for our final stop, and we still came off with the win.

“A lot comes to the strategy. Adam (Tanner – engineer) did a mega job on the calls and got us to where we were, and from there it was smooth sailing. If we hadn’t had the final Full Course Yellow, it would have been a lot more of a struggle, so we kind of a bit of luck and everything paid off. I’m ecstatic about the results, as there’s definitely nothing wrong with P1!”

Ella Lloyd showed her skill behind the wheel as she bounced back from a worrying looking incident in the F4 British Championship to gain eight places at Brands Hatch.

After a strong showing on her single seater debut at Donington Park, the Welsh teenager proved overtaking might be difficult, but isn’t impossible on the fast, undulating, and challenging 1.2-mile Kent circuit.

In qualifying on Saturday, 11th May, she and the JHR Developments team tried a slightly different strategy, leaving the pits earlier than most of the rest of the field for the final run. Unfortunately, this meant when Ella was on her push laps the was traffic as other drivers were slowly warming their tyres, leaving her further down the grid than she’d hoped.

Aiming to capitalise with a good start to the opening 20-minute contest, she had to be alert as several drivers were caught out by the lights going out quite quickly, avoiding a stalled car as she built up speed. However, as she pulled through the gears, Ella was unsighted as she came upon another slow starting car and couldn’t avoid making contact at speed.

Veering right at the last moment, her left wheels collided with the other machine, lifting and tilting the car to almost 90 degrees, before landing and going into the tyre barriers. Thankfully she was unharmed in what was a scary looking incident and was able to compete on Sunday thanks to the team’s efforts in repairing her car.

At the start of race two Ella had a fantastic first lap, gaining eight places, showing that passing is tricky but can be done on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit, to run 13th. As the field equalised and the best performance of the tyres was gone, she was unable to climb into the top 10 but can be satisfied with a strong showing.

For the final contest she had another good start but quickly found she was locking her front right tyre, which turned out to be a puncture. That, coupled with an unidentified engine problem was enough to hamper her progress and caused her to finish the race in the pits.

Though her results didn’t reflect her speed behind the wheel, Ella and the JHR Developments team know from the data that she is driving well and that a couple of small adjustments will bring the reward in lap time. She will next be able to put that to the test at Snetterton in Norfolk, over the weekend of May 24-26.

Ella Lloyd commented:

G1 – 21, R1 – DNF
G2 – 21, R2 – 12
G3 – 21, R3 – 20

Championship: 11 (15 points)

“In qualifying I had a lot of traffic. We came in earlier than everyone else [during the session] and when we went back out, drivers were warming their tyres and I was trying to push, so it just didn’t really work out. We looked at the data though, and we know that there’s far more pace in me and I’m doing everything right.

“In the first race, I had a really good start. The five second board went up and the lights came on and went out quickly, so lots of drivers weren’t prepared. Two cars stalled, but I had only seen one as there were yellow flags by that one. I was in-between two cars and could see the car in front moving, but by the time I got there it was one of those things.

“We had a good start [to race two] and I made up quite a few places, and there was an incident as well, which helped me gain a few more. It was quite hard to overtake after that. We had another good start for the final race and made up a few places on the first lap, but I think we had a puncture from the first lap as I kept locking the front right because the pressure was dropping. We also had an engine problem, which the team are looking into, but I’m sure we’ll be in good shape for Snetterton next.”

Jess Edgar continued her run of point-scoring finishes to open the F1 Academy season as the youngster clinched an eighth-place finish at Barcelona this weekend (June 21-23).

After a six-week break in action after the previous races in Miami, the American Express-backed 19-year-old showed good speed in the single practice session, finishing sixth quickest, just 0.6s from the fastest time.

In qualifying, she again drove well, but was a little disappointed to finish ninth in both sessions as she struggled to switch on the tyres, finishing 0.7s and 0.8s from pole position.

Jess had a good start to race one, battling with Tina Hausmann for sixth place into the first series of corners but settled into seventh before the Safety Car was called. With the race resuming on lap seven of 16, she had a strong restart, getting ahead of Hausmann for sixth. From there she was driving comfortably in that spot, but was handed a five-second time penalty for a false start, dropping her to eighth in the final classification.

The Cumbrian racer had another good launch of the line for race two, but had to take evasive action into turn one, going up the escape road and losing momentum, settling into seventh. Unfortunately, Jess found the car handling tougher and slipped back a couple of places, running ninth until the final few laps, when the tyre degradation got too much and, unable to fend off the advances of her rivals, she crossed the line 15th.

Despite that setback, Jess leaves Spain buoyed by positive performance during practice and continuing to improve her driving in the car, working to refine the setup to her preference. She will return to F1 Academy action in August, after an eight-weak break, racing alongside the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.Jess Edgar continued her run of point-scoring finishes to open the F1 Academy season as the youngster clinched an eighth-place finish at Barcelona this weekend (June 21-23).

After a six-week break in action after the previous races in Miami, the American Express-backed 19-year-old showed good speed in the single practice session, finishing sixth quickest, just 0.6s from the fastest time.

In qualifying, she again drove well, but was a little disappointed to finish ninth in both sessions as she struggled to switch on the tyres, finishing 0.7s and 0.8s from pole position.

Jess had a good start to race one, battling with Tina Hausmann for sixth place into the first series of corners but settled into seventh before the Safety Car was called. With the race resuming on lap seven of 16, she had a strong restart, getting ahead of Hausmann for sixth. From there she was driving comfortably in that spot, but was handed a five-second time penalty for a false start, dropping her to eighth in the final classification.

The Cumbrian racer had another good launch of the line for race two, but had to take evasive action into turn one, going up the escape road and losing momentum, settling into seventh. Unfortunately, Jess found the car handling tougher and slipped back a couple of places, running ninth until the final few laps, when the tyre degradation got too much and, unable to fend off the advances of her rivals, she crossed the line 15th.

Despite that setback, Jess leaves Spain buoyed by positive performance during practice and continuing to improve her driving in the car, working to refine the setup to her preference. She will return to F1 Academy action in August, after an eight-weak break, racing alongside the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.Jess Edgar continued her run of point-scoring finishes to open the F1 Academy season as the youngster clinched an eighth-place finish at Barcelona this weekend (June 21-23).

After a six-week break in action after the previous races in Miami, the American Express-backed 19-year-old showed good speed in the single practice session, finishing sixth quickest, just 0.6s from the fastest time.

In qualifying, she again drove well, but was a little disappointed to finish ninth in both sessions as she struggled to switch on the tyres, finishing 0.7s and 0.8s from pole position.

Jess had a good start to race one, battling with Tina Hausmann for sixth place into the first series of corners but settled into seventh before the Safety Car was called. With the race resuming on lap seven of 16, she had a strong restart, getting ahead of Hausmann for sixth. From there she was driving comfortably in that spot, but was handed a five-second time penalty for a false start, dropping her to eighth in the final classification.

The Cumbrian racer had another good launch of the line for race two, but had to take evasive action into turn one, going up the escape road and losing momentum, settling into seventh. Unfortunately, Jess found the car handling tougher and slipped back a couple of places, running ninth until the final few laps, when the tyre degradation got too much and, unable to fend off the advances of her rivals, she crossed the line 15th.

Despite that setback, Jess leaves Spain buoyed by positive performance during practice and continuing to improve her driving in the car, working to refine the setup to her preference. She will return to F1 Academy action in August, after an eight-weak break, racing alongside the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.Jess Edgar continued her run of point-scoring finishes to open the F1 Academy season as the youngster clinched an eighth-place finish at Barcelona this weekend (June 21-23).

After a six-week break in action after the previous races in Miami, the American Express-backed 19-year-old showed good speed in the single practice session, finishing sixth quickest, just 0.6s from the fastest time.

In qualifying, she again drove well, but was a little disappointed to finish ninth in both sessions as she struggled to switch on the tyres, finishing 0.7s and 0.8s from pole position.

Jess had a good start to race one, battling with Tina Hausmann for sixth place into the first series of corners but settled into seventh before the Safety Car was called. With the race resuming on lap seven of 16, she had a strong restart, getting ahead of Hausmann for sixth. From there she was driving comfortably in that spot, but was handed a five-second time penalty for a false start, dropping her to eighth in the final classification.

The Cumbrian racer had another good launch of the line for race two, but had to take evasive action into turn one, going up the escape road and losing momentum, settling into seventh. Unfortunately, Jess found the car handling tougher and slipped back a couple of places, running ninth until the final few laps, when the tyre degradation got too much and, unable to fend off the advances of her rivals, she crossed the line 15th.

Despite that setback, Jess leaves Spain buoyed by positive performance during practice and continuing to improve her driving in the car, working to refine the setup to her preference. She will return to F1 Academy action in August, after an eight-weak break, racing alongside the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.Jess Edgar continued her run of point-scoring finishes to open the F1 Academy season as the youngster clinched an eighth-place finish at Barcelona this weekend (June 21-23).

After a six-week break in action after the previous races in Miami, the American Express-backed 19-year-old showed good speed in the single practice session, finishing sixth quickest, just 0.6s from the fastest time.

In qualifying, she again drove well, but was a little disappointed to finish ninth in both sessions as she struggled to switch on the tyres, finishing 0.7s and 0.8s from pole position.

Jess had a good start to race one, battling with Tina Hausmann for sixth place into the first series of corners but settled into seventh before the Safety Car was called. With the race resuming on lap seven of 16, she had a strong restart, getting ahead of Hausmann for sixth. From there she was driving comfortably in that spot, but was handed a five-second time penalty for a false start, dropping her to eighth in the final classification.

The Cumbrian racer had another good launch of the line for race two, but had to take evasive action into turn one, going up the escape road and losing momentum, settling into seventh. Unfortunately, Jess found the car handling tougher and slipped back a couple of places, running ninth until the final few laps, when the tyre degradation got too much and, unable to fend off the advances of her rivals, she crossed the line 15th.

Despite that setback, Jess leaves Spain buoyed by positive performance during practice and continuing to improve her driving in the car, working to refine the setup to her preference. She will return to F1 Academy action in August, after an eight-weak break, racing alongside the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.Jess Edgar continued her run of point-scoring finishes to open the F1 Academy season as the youngster clinched an eighth-place finish at Barcelona this weekend (June 21-23).

After a six-week break in action after the previous races in Miami, the American Express-backed 19-year-old showed good speed in the single practice session, finishing sixth quickest, just 0.6s from the fastest time.

In qualifying, she again drove well, but was a little disappointed to finish ninth in both sessions as she struggled to switch on the tyres, finishing 0.7s and 0.8s from pole position.

Jess had a good start to race one, battling with Tina Hausmann for sixth place into the first series of corners but settled into seventh before the Safety Car was called. With the race resuming on lap seven of 16, she had a strong restart, getting ahead of Hausmann for sixth. From there she was driving comfortably in that spot, but was handed a five-second time penalty for a false start, dropping her to eighth in the final classification.

The Cumbrian racer had another good launch of the line for race two, but had to take evasive action into turn one, going up the escape road and losing momentum, settling into seventh. Unfortunately, Jess found the car handling tougher and slipped back a couple of places, running ninth until the final few laps, when the tyre degradation got too much and, unable to fend off the advances of her rivals, she crossed the line 15th.

Despite that setback, Jess leaves Spain buoyed by positive performance during practice and continuing to improve her driving in the car, working to refine the setup to her preference. She will return to F1 Academy action in August, after an eight-weak break, racing alongside the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.Jess Edgar continued her run of point-scoring finishes to open the F1 Academy season as the youngster clinched an eighth-place finish at Barcelona this weekend (June 21-23).

After a six-week break in action after the previous races in Miami, the American Express-backed 19-year-old showed good speed in the single practice session, finishing sixth quickest, just 0.6s from the fastest time.

In qualifying, she again drove well, but was a little disappointed to finish ninth in both sessions as she struggled to switch on the tyres, finishing 0.7s and 0.8s from pole position.

Jess had a good start to race one, battling with Tina Hausmann for sixth place into the first series of corners but settled into seventh before the Safety Car was called. With the race resuming on lap seven of 16, she had a strong restart, getting ahead of Hausmann for sixth. From there she was driving comfortably in that spot, but was handed a five-second time penalty for a false start, dropping her to eighth in the final classification.

The Cumbrian racer had another good launch of the line for race two, but had to take evasive action into turn one, going up the escape road and losing momentum, settling into seventh. Unfortunately, Jess found the car handling tougher and slipped back a couple of places, running ninth until the final few laps, when the tyre degradation got too much and, unable to fend off the advances of her rivals, she crossed the line 15th.

Despite that setback, Jess leaves Spain buoyed by positive performance during practice and continuing to improve her driving in the car, working to refine the setup to her preference. She will return to F1 Academy action in August, after an eight-weak break, racing alongside the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Championship: 8 (22 points)

Jess Commented: “Free practice was good, and we finished closer than I have done in the previous races in Miami and Jeddah, so that was positive. In qualifying I didn’t quite manage to get the tyres in quickly enough, which left me with understeer and meant things didn’t go to plan, so I finished P9 for races one and two.

“Race one was good, and I finished P6 on track, but that became P8 as I was penalised for a false start. In race two I struggled a lot with the car and dropped back unfortunately. I can take away positives that I have improved my driving a lot, for example trying to drive around things when it doesn’t feel quite right and making the car feel as good as it can be, which gives me optimism for Zandvoort in August.”