Rounds 16/17/18 of GB3 staged on the Grand Prix circuit at Silverstone marks a return to the Northamptonshire track following three races there in June. Elite posted five top-eight finishes on that occasion with Sagrera Pont, Garfias and Lebbon recording best fourth, fifth – José’s top finish of the season to date – and sixth place results respectively.
The Silverstone event comes hot on the heels of Elite’s “home” GB3 races at Snetterton staged last weekend (7-8 Aug). Formerly known as the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship, Elite posted six top-10s in the three races on the 2.97-mile Snetterton 300 track – just 15-miles from Elite’s Shipdham raceshop.
Qualifying on Saturday morning began on a damp track which progressively got wetter with the 18-car field all utilising “wet”, treaded tyres. Lebbon set the third quickest time for both Races 1 & 2 – the driver’s second fastest time setting grid positions for Race 2. Sagrera Pont clocked the sixth best time for Race 1, his second best time compromised by a disallowed lap due to exceeding track limits resulting in a 16th place start. Garfias, 14th for Race 1, but benefitted for Race 2 with a seventh place start.
Due to a driver’s penalty Lebbon, competing at his “home” track like Elite, started the dry Race 1 early on Saturday afternoon from the front row but pitted at the end of lap one with a punctured rear tyre, Tom finishing 16th having set competitive lap times, that included the fifth fastest race lap, after his unfortunate pit-stop. Garfias impressively worked his way inside the top-10, taking the chequered flag after 10 laps in ninth while Sagrera Pont, started fifth, lay third after the first lap, but was classified 15th due to a 20secs time penalty for driving standards.
Lebbon, on all new rubber, was relegated to fourth place on the third lap of Race 2, a position he comfortably held to the chequered flag after 10 laps following a “lonely” race from mid-distance. Garfias dropped two places on the opening lap while Sagrera Pont gained three, the Mexican and Spaniard coming home ninth and 10th – at the back of a six-car battle for sixth place.
In the “reverse” grid Race 3 Sagrera Pont – on a full set of new slick tyres – Lebbon (used tyres) and Garfias (half new set) started sixth, ninth and 14th respectively for the 10 lap race. Javier made a brilliant start and snatched third place at the first corner but challenging for second place at mid-distance, damaged his car’s nose, resulting in a pit-stop and an 18th place finish and bringing an end to a disappointing weekend. Lebbon mastered the rain that began to fall for the final two laps, Tom coming through to an excellent fifth place while Garfias also showed great pace in the treacherously slippery conditions to record a fine eighth place.
Eddie Ives, Team Owner & Manager:
“We’ve already competed at Silverstone and came away with some strong results. We showed good pace with Tom third quickest on combined times in the four sessions that we had yesterday [12 Aug] and we’re out on-track again today [13 Aug] to prep for our three races over Saturday and Sunday.
“Looking back to last weekend at Snetterton, it was another solid weekend in terms of speed in our first year of single-seaters even if the actual race results didn’t particularly go our way. We’re learning as are our drivers.”
