It came right down to the wire at the home of British motorsport as Carlin’s Kaylen Frederick took the F3 crown to become the first American to win the championship.
In mixed conditions Frederick made it hard for himself as other results took it down to the final Sunday race, with Kush Maini needing to win and hoping his rival didn’t. It was a tall order but lets see how the weekend played out.
Qualifying
As so many times this year, Frederick had the perfect qualifying and secured pole for race one and three and broke the Silverstone qualifying lap record in the process.
The American’s sixth and seventh poles from qualifying means he has secured the £1,000 end of year prize for the Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup, with his time of 1m 54.354 seconds being 1.5 seconds quicker than the previous qualifying record at the circuit.
Hitech GP’s Kush Maini, just 13 points behind Frederick in the championship secured the front row for both races.
A late charge from Frederick put him just 0.041 seconds ahead of the Maini on the grid for race one, and 0.050 seconds clear on the race three grid. Maini had a difficult qualifying but got some late laps under his belt which helped him up the grid.
Fortec’s Roberto Faria will start in third in both races, having made good progress since making his British F3 debut three rounds ago. Faria was less than a tenth behind Maini on the race one grid and 0.099 seconds clear of JHR Developments driver Ayrton Simmons who returned to the grid for the weekend and secured the teams best grid position.
Fellow title contender Ulysse De Pauw was fifth quickest and under a tenth clear of Hillspeed’s Sasakorn Chaimongkol.
Reece Ushijima was 0.003 seconds behind in seventh for Hitech GP and 0.089 seconds clear of Chris Dittmann Racing’s Josh Skelton, with Hillspeed’s Oliver Clarke and JHR’s Carter Williams seeing out top-10, which was covered by just over seven tenths of a second.
On taking another double pole, Frederick said; “we’ve been looking really strong so far in practice so I’m glad we could put in two solid laps for qualifying. Anywhere in the top two I would have been happy with but we helped ourselves out massively with a double pole.
Pole positions really matter in this championship as it’s really hard to overtake. We’ve done an amazing job recovering from Brands Hatch to get this many pole positions and then get so many wins to catch back up and now pull ahead in the championship. I’m really happy to take the reward which comes with the poles. I’m sure he’ll [Maini] be pressuring me, I’ve got to make sure I’m doing the best I can, not making any wrong moves. I’ll be staying composed and I’ll be taking all the pressure he can throw at me.”
Race One Grid
1. Kaylen Frederick, Carlin 1m54.354s
2. Kush Maini, Hitech GP, +0.041s
3. Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +0.127s
4. Ayrton Simmons, JHR Developments, +0.226s
5. Ulysse De Pauw, Douglas Motorsport, +0.410s
6. Sasakorn Chaimongkol, Hillspeed, +0.502s
7. Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +0.505s
8. Josh Skelton, Chris Dittmann Racing, +0.594s
9. Oliver Clarke, Hillspeed, +0.598s
10. Carter Williams, JHR Developments, +0.735s
11. Louis Foster, Double R Racing, +0.862s
12. Jonny Wilkinson, Fortec Motorsports, +1.213s
13. Nazim Azman, Carlin, +1.220s
14. Bart Horsten, Lanan Racing, +1.284s
15. Benjamin Pedersen, Double R Racing, +1.307s
16. Manaf Hijjawi, Douglas Motorsport, +1.323s
17. Piers Prior, Lanan Racing, +1.339s
18. Josh Mason, Lanan Racing, +1.535s
19. Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.803s
Race Three Grid
1. Kaylen Frederick, Carlin, 1m54.370s
2. Kush Maini, Hitech GP, +0.050s
3. Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +0.248s
4. Ulysse De Pauw, Douglas Motorsport, +0.527s
5. Ayrton Simmons, JHR Developments, +0.568s
6. Oliver Clarke, Hillspeed, +0.590s
7. Sasakorn Chaimongkol, Hillspeed, +0.609s
8. Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +0.704s
9. Josh Skelton, Chris Dittmann Racing, +0.709s
10. Carter Williams, JHR Developments, +0.789s
11. Louis Foster, Double R Racing, +1.058s
12. Nazim Azman, Carlin, +1.220s
13. Jonny Wilkinson, Fortec Motorsports, +1.257s
14. Bart Horsten, Lanan Racing, +1.311s
15. Piers Prior, Lanan Racing, +1.393s
16. Benjamin Pedersen, Double R Racing, +1.403s
17. Manaf Hijjawi, Douglas Motorsport, +1.528s
18. Josh Mason, Lanan Racing, +1.540s
19. Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.934s
Race One
Race one played out as much of the season has as Frederick claimed his eighth victory of the year and extended his championship lead over Maini who finished third, first blood to Frederick. Maini was passed early on at turn one by Simmons, with the British driver taking JHR’s first British F3 podium with a well earned second place.
Faria continued his progress by securing his best British F3 result so far, with fourth place for Fortec, ahead of Double R’s Louis Foster, and Oliver Clarke, completing the top-six. Hitech GP’s Ushijima took seventh at the time but was disqualified post race for causing a collision.
Josh Skelton therefore claimed seventh for Chris Dittmann Racing ahead of Lanan Racing’s Bart Horsten. Chaimongkol was ninth for Hillspeed with Piers Prior completing the top-10.
On a crucial race one win, Frederick said; “it was pretty good, I didn’t have the best start but I defended well and then put in some really quick times afterwards. I don’t know how big the gap was before the safety car but we had a solid margin. I was trying to take care of the tyres and making sure they were there at the end so we could keep putting in the quick times. I then got a good safety car restart and then just put in one more quick lap at the end and that was pretty much it. So I’m really pleased.
The safety car added a bit more stress but we’ve talked and done all our prep for safety car restarts so I sort of knew what I needed to do. So it wasn’t a big problem, but it makes it a bit more interesting. We’ll try to get some solid points in the reverse grid race, but make sure we bring it home, and try and do the same job again in race three.”
Race One Result
1. Kaylen Frederick, Carlin, 10 laps
2. Ayrton Simmons, JHR Developments, +2.608s
3. Kush Maini, Hitech GP, +3.834s
4. Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +4.857s
5. Louis Foster, Double R Racing, +6.127s
6. Oliver Clarke, Hillspeed, +6.260s
7. Josh Skelton, Chris Dittmann Racing, +8.176s
8. Bart Horsten, Lanan Racing, +9.664s
9. Sasakorn Chaimongkol, Hillspeed, +10.023s
10. Piers Prior, Lanan Racing, +10.713s
11. Nazim Azman, Carlin, +12.258s
12. Carter Williams, JHR Developments, +13.883s
13. Jonny Wilkinson, Fortec Motorsports, +15.095s
14. Manaf Hijjawi, Douglas Motorsport, +18.174s
15. Benjamin Pedersen, Double R Racing, +18.466s
16. Josh Mason, Lanan Racing, +24.881s
17. Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +24.963s
DNF. Ulysse De Pauw, Douglas Motorsport, 5 laps completed
DQ. Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP
Race Two
Double R’s Benjamin Pedersen won an epic reverse grid race that meant the championship battle was going to go down to the final race of the weekend. Pedersen started third but battled his way to the front to finish ahead of Lanan Racing’s Bart Horsten, who sliced through the grid from 10th to second, which included a stunning last lap overtake on Nazim Azman, the Carlin driver finishing third.
Behind them the championship was playing out in dramatic fashion. Contenders Frederick and Maini were banging wheels as the pair raced hard. Taking a different tyre strategy, the pair went with wet weather tyres on a cold and damp but drying track, with the majority of the grid taking slick tyres. Slick tyres turned out to be the right choice with Frederick and Maini slipping down the order.
Frederick finished 12th with Maini 17th, the result seeing the pair separated by 33 points going into the final race with 35 still up for grabs.
Fortec’s Roberto Faria finished just a couple of tenths away from a maiden podium, and less than seven tenths clear of Hillspeed’s Oliver Clarke.
Louis Foster finished in an excellent sixth place with the British driver spinning on the Hangar Straight after getting involved in one of the Frederick/Maini coming togethers and falling to 15th, but using his tyres and some great overtaking he climbed to sixth.
JHR Developments’ Carter Williams secured seventh, less than a second ahead of Chaimongkol, with Prior and Skelton seeing out the top-10.
However there was more to come after the race. Following an investigation and having heard evidence from the competitor, the Clerk of the Course found that the driver of car number 7, Roberto Faria, was guilty of contravening Motorsport UK Regulation Q14.4.4 (Causing a collision) and C1.1.5 (Driving in a manner incompatible with general safety).
The Clerk of the Course found that Faria caused a collision with the driver of car 79 (Sasakorn Chaimongkol), causing car 79 to spin. Faria was penalised by the addition of 20 seconds to his race time.
Speaking about his race win, Pedersen said; “it all started with a bit of a scramble in the assembly area before the race. A few people stayed on wets but some gambled with slicks. We were one of the ones that gambled and it was absolutely the right call in hindsight. But the startline grip was actually pretty good and we got one off the start. I think it was Manaf [Hijjawi] in front of me on wets for the opening lap and he had just a little bit more pace due to the wet tyres switching on. But I knew it was going to come to me so I wasn’t too stressed, I got by him and then kind of checked out, so that was nice!
The assembly area decision was a spot on call by Double R, they were watching the timing screens every minute up to our race and they could see that the gap was closing with that wet/dry switchover, so full credit to Double R for that decision.
I love this track, it’s my favourite track in the UK for sure. It obviously makes it a little better when you win! So yeah, a pretty awesome day!”
Race Two Result
1. Benjamin Pedersen, Double R Racing, 10 laps
2. Bart Horsten, Lanan Racing, +0.737s
3. Nazim Azman, Carlin, +1.140s
4. Oliver Clarke, Hillspeed, +2.001s
5. Carter Williams, JHR Developments, +19.440s
6. Sasakorn Chaimongkol, Hillspeed, +20.362s
7. Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +21.327s*
8. Piers Prior, Lanan Racing, +1m00.282s
9. Louis Foster, Double R Racing, +1m13.833s*
10. Josh Skelton, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1m16.222s
11. Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1m122.715s
12. Kaylen Frederick, Carlin, +1m36.082s
13. Ulysse De Pauw, Douglas Motorsport, +1m43.082s
14. Manaf Hijjawi, Douglas Motorsport, +1m48.091s
15. Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +1m48.261s
16. Jonny Wilkinson, Fortec Motorsports, +1m49.577s
17. Kush Maini, Hitech GP, +1m53.081s
18. Ayrton Simmons, JHR Developments, +1 lap
19. Josh Mason, Lanan Racing, +1 lap
Race Three
This is what it had come down to, the final race of the final weekend of the season. A season like no other, and it has to be said, credit to all those involved in managing to get a season together, and a great one at that.
And in the end it was Kaylen Frederick who led from lights to flag to claim his ninth win of the year and secured the BRDC British F3 Championship title. Frederick needed only to finish to wrap things up, and did it in style with another dominant victory.
Frederick becomes the first American driver to win the British F3 title, and he finished over four seconds clear of Fortec Motorsports’ Roberto Faria who finally secured his first ever podium with a cracking second place ahead of Simmons. Kush Maini needed to win the race with Frederick failing to finish, but the Indian could only manage sixth place after having a difficult race, the Hillspeed duo Oliver Clarke and Sasakorn Chaimongkol overtaking Maini for fourth and fifth. It had been an excellent challenge from Maini all season but the Indian just fell short when it counted.
Chris Dittmann Racing’s Josh Skelton completed his season with seventh place ahead of Hitech’s Reece Ushijima. Fortec debutant Jonny Wilkinson claimed a top-10 finish on his first weekend, with Carter Williams the final driver inside the top-10.
However there were more penalties to come after the race with the driver of car 26, being found to have caused a collision with car 55 (Ulysse De Pauw), causing both cars to spin. Foster was again penalised by the addition of 60 seconds to his race time. Foster has appealed this, so the race three result remains provisional until the incident has been investigated. Thankfully it has no bearing on the championship.
On his race three win and taking the championship, Frederick said; “it feels absolutely amazing, I think it’ll only really settle in tomorrow morning when I wake up, I’m still fresh from the race at the moment! We didn’t put a foot wrong, we had a great start and had amazing pace. I’m just so happy to finally wrap up the championship, we’ve had a few ups and downs but we kept at it and we put in the work we needed to to catch up and then pull ahead with a really solid gap at the end in terms of points. I’m just so grateful, so many people have put in so much effort for this year and made so many sacrifices so I’m just so grateful I could bring it home for them.
It seems to be the case [big wins], we’ve been pretty unstoppable once we’ve got out in the lead. There really wasn’t too much to it besides from managing tyres a little bit. So it was an enjoyable last cruise in this car!”
Provisional Race Three Result
1. Kaylen Frederick, Carlin, 10 laps
2. Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +4.121s
3. Ayrton Simmons, JHR Developments, +8.660s
4. Oliver Clarke, Hillspeed, +9.932s
5. Sasakorn Chaimongkol, Hillspeed, +11.435s
6. Kush Maini, Hitech GP, +14.600s
7. Josh Skelton, Chris Dittmann Racing, +15.562s
8. Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +20.135s
9. Jonny Wilkinson, Fortec Motorsports, +22.404s
10. Carter Williams, JHR Developments, +23.129s
11. Nazim Azman, Carlin, +23.687s
12. Piers Prior, Lanan Racing, +24.851s
13. Josh Mason, Lanan Racing, +27.091s
14. Benjamin Pedersen, Double R Racing, +27.617s
15. Ulysse De Pauw, Douglas Motorsport, +39.192s
16. Louis Foster, Double R Racing, +1m28.117s*
17. Manaf Hijjawi, Douglas Motorsport, +1m33.117s
DNF. Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, 1 lap completed
DNF. Bart Horsten, Lanan Racing, 1 lap completed
The British F3 calendar for 2021 kicks off on the 3rd and 5th of April, with the traditional season opener at Oulton Park over the Easter Bank Holiday Saturday and Monday.
