After a months wait from the season opener at Brands Hatch, British F3 is back at the home of the BRDC, Silverstone. With testing having taken place on Thursday and Friday and the sun shining, we were back and ready to race.
Qualifying
A sunny Saturday at Silverstone brought a first pole position for Hitech GP’s Reece Ushijuma who topped the timesheets in the last 20 seconds of qualifying. His second time was also quickest, meaning Ushijima took double pole for Race 1 and 2 of the weekend. Carlin’s Zac O’Sullivan was next to improve his time taking P2 and was only 0.061s off pole position, bumping Frederick Lubin to P3, completing the top 3 as the flag was waved.
Ayrton Simmonds also received a 5 place grid penalty for the incident at Brands Hatch.
Race one Grid
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, 1m55.908s
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin, +0.061s
- Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport, +0.133s
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, +0.252s
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, +0.344s
- Christian Mansell, Carlin, +0.347s
- Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport, +0.461s
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +0.465s
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, +0.646s
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +0.695s
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +0.760s
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, +1.029s
- Bryce Aron, Carlin, +1.042s
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.138s*
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports, +1.301s
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.363s
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, +2.688s
Race two Grid
The second race of the weekends qualifying is set by the drivers second fastest lap:
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, 1m55.954s
- Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport, +0.182s
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin, +0.213s
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, +0.301s
- Christian Mansell, Carlin, +0.451s
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +0.493s
- Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport, +0.517s
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +0.674s
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +0.714s
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, +0.816s
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.214s
- Bryce Aron, Carlin, +1.265s
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, +1.306s
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.423s
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports, +1.427s
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, +2.642s
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, +6.844s
Race three grid:
The third race of the weekend is in reverse order from qualifying:
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing
- Bryce Aron, Carlin
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports
- Christian Mansell, Carlin
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP
- Frederick Lubin, Arden
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP
Race 1 – Round 4: Silverstone
The first race of the weekend took place a few hours after qualifying whilst the sun was out and shining. Off the line, Ushijima led the pack with O’Sullivan behind and Bart Horsten overtaking Lubin for third. As they progressed into the first lap of the race, Ushijima and O’Sullivan pulled away from the pack creating a 4-second gap between themselves and the rest of the grid. Tom Lebbon was the first to retire on lap 1.
Lubin was the first and only driver to visit the pits as he picked up grass in the race’s opening laps. After leaving the pits on lap 3, he re-joined the pack in last place. Lap four saw some battles further down the field between Alex Connor and Christian Mansell. Connor was just 0.345 seconds behind and managed to make the move stick on lap 8 to take P8. Meanwhile, Horsten was continuing to close the 4-second gap to the leaders.
Lap 7 saw the fight between P1 and P2 come into play with Ushijima out in front but O’Sullivan keeping hot on his tails just half a second off. O’Sullivan kept the gap on the following laps, with Horsten continuing to set fastest laps. Ultimately as the checkered flag was shown, the Carlin couldn’t make a move stick and Ushijima took his maiden BRDC British F3 win. From pole to the checkered flag, Ushijima led every lap of the race at Silverstone to take his win.
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, 10 laps
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin, +0.382s
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, +1.352s
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, +6.250s
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +7.306s
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, +10.246s
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +11.953s
- Christian Mansell, Carlin, +13.838s
- Bryce Aron, Carlin, +14.356s
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, +17.356s
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, +20.860s
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports, +31.226s
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, +31.384s
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +35.889s
- Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport, +1m04.976s
DNF. Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, 1 lap
DQ Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport, +9.142s
Max Marzorati received a 5-second penalty for exceeding track limits.
Reece Ushijima on taking his maiden win: “It’s taken three years to get to this point, it’s been a lot of hard work but we finally got there. We started racing a bit late but I’m glad we can finally compete and get out the front. I’m happy with the result.
“It was a bit difficult towards the end, but we still got the result so I’m happy with it. We still have a lot to improve on so we’ll see what we can do overnight and try to do this again tomorrow.”
Image Credit: @JakobEbrey
Race 2 – Round 5: Silverstone
The second race of the weekend took place on Sunday morning where the rain clouds had moved in overnight over the Northampton circuit. As the lights went out Ushijima had a great start off the line holding P1 with O’Sullivan passing Lubin for P2. Roberto Faria also had a great start jumping from P6 to P3 in the opening corners. Similar to the first race of the weekend, Ushijima and O’Sullivan started to pull away.
Race two brought more drama in the middle of the field than in the first race. On lap 4 Dexter Patterson and Sebastian Alvarez were battling it out for 10th place. Having started in P7, Patterson was keen to make up for lost places. The Douglass driver made a late lunge up the inside of Alvarez, nearly taking both out and winning the place. Bryce Aron took advantage of this and passed Alvarez, dropping him back to P12. The battle was then on with Aron and Patterson, however, Patterson’s front wing became the victim of the fight and ended up under the car with the Douglas driver having to immediately pit for a new front wing.
By lap 5, both Horsten and Ayrton Simmonds had made up 6 places from their starting grid positions, with Horsten continuing to storm the field. Alvarez was the next driver of the weekend to be given a penalty after exceeding track limits and was given a 5 second time penalty, with Simmonds being warned also for track limits.
By the ending laps of the race, a fiery battle had started between Connor and Mansell for 5th. With some brave moves around Becketts, the pair ended up side by side coming into Stowe with Connor taking the lead and Horsten taking advantage of the fight going round the outside after finding the grip, passing both drivers.
As the flag was waved Ushijima was the first to become a double race winner in the BRDC British F3 2021 season, with O’Sullivan crossing the line taking P2 and Faria taking his first podium in British F3 for P3 at the home of racing, Silverstone.
- Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, 10 laps
- Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin, +1.174s
- Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +1.656s
- Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport, +1.821s
- Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, +12.025s
- Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, +13.034s
- Christian Mansell, Carlin, +14.485s
- Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +14.650s
- Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +15.403s
- Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, +17.902s
- Bryce Aron, Carlin, +19.682s
- Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, +20.143s
- Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, +20.303s
- Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports, +21.581s
- Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, +22.136s
- Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, +22.269s
DQ Dexter Patterson, Douglas Motorsport
After race two, Alvarez and Connor were given a 5 second time penalty for exceeding track limits and Lubin was given a 10 second time penalty after all four wheels off the track. Douglas Motorsport’s, Dexter Patterson, has been disqualified from all races of the weekend after the Clerk of the Course found that he was guilty of contravening Motorsport UK Regulation C1.1.9 (abusive behaviour, physical assault, or threats of physical assault within the area under control of the Organising Club).
Roberto Faria on his race: “I was trying to push the maximum I could to take them. On the last lap, I was quicker than them in the first sector but then I had some dirty air so it was really hard to overtake. So then I had to defend against Lubin who was really quick also, so I finished third but I’m quite pleased with the result. The team did a very good job with the car and it was amazing.
“The circuit is just amazing, the first sector and the high-speed corners are just amazing to drive. I love this circuit.”
Image Credit: @CarlinRacing
Race 3 – Round 6: Silverstone
Off the line Max Marzorati took advantage of Reema Juffali’s slower start in the third race of the day at Silverstone, taking P1 in the first lap. But he had his teammate, Simmonds, hot on his tail. Javier Sagrera was the first to go off, ending up in the gravel by Becketts on the first lap and had to make a trip to the pits. Championship leader O’Sullivan also made up 6 places in the opening laps of the race.
The CDR teammates continued to battle with Simmonds getting past Marzorati at Luffield to take the race lead. With Aron just behind Marzorati, he had to defend, which didn’t end well for either driver with Marzorati getting a puncture and Aron ended up in the grass with a broken front wing after trying to go round the outside.
After a slow start to his race, Race 1 and 2 winner Ushijima, who started last, pulled through the pack and made his way up to P7 on lap 4. The drama was not over though, as Mikkel Grundvig and Horsten in P12 and P13 made contact at Brooklands. Grundvigs left rear tyre went over the top of his to land on his right rear tyre, bringing out the Safety Car for the first time in the weekend.
The final two laps of the race saw the Safety Car go in and racing commenced once again, with O’Sullivan and Ushijima battling neck and neck, they were joined by their teammates to bring some last lap action. However, O’Sullivan was the one to take advantage of this and finish ahead of Ushijima, critically giving him more championship points. It was Simmonds who took victory in Race 3 at Silverstone, after a disappointing weekend he brought it back with a race win. He was joined on the podium by Connor in P2 and Faria in P3 to round off the weekend.
1. Ayrton Simmons, Chris Dittmann Racing, 9 laps
2. Alex Connor, Arden Motorsport, +0.281s
3. Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +0.552s
4. Reema Juffali, Douglas Motorsport, +3.789s
5. Jose Garfias, Elite Motorsport, +5.356s
6. Tom Lebbon, Elite Motorsport, +5.692s
7. Frederick Lubin, Arden Motorsport, +5.814s
8. Sebastian Alvarez, Hitech GP, +7.848s
9. Zak O’Sullivan, Carlin, +8.239s
10. Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +8.837s
11. Christian Mansell, Carlin, +9.410s
12. Bryce Aron, Carlin, +9.788s
DNF. Max Marzorati, Chris Dittmann Racing, 2 laps
DNF. Mikkel Grundtvig, Fortec Motorsports, 2 laps
DNF. Bart Horsten, Hitech GP, 2 laps
DNF. Javier Sagrera, Elite Motorsport, 1 lap
Image Credit: @JakobEbrey
BRDC British F3 continues at Donnington Park from 10th – 11th July.
