Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Hugo Schwarze climbed from fourth and survived two safety car restarts to win the final GB3 race of the weekend at Zandvoort.

Elite Motorsport’s Will Macintyre took the lead at the start from the inside of the front row, while JHR Development’s reversed-grid polesitter Kai Daryanani went deep into turn one while trying to fend off Hitech GP’s Keanu Al Azhari for second.

Velocity Racing Development’s Schwarze capitalised on the battle to move past both Al Azhari and Daryanani two corners later, and swept past Macintyre for the lead on the following lap. Al Azhari, meanwhile, relegated Daryanani to fourth.

Macintyre’s team-mate Flynn Jackes caused the first caution period by sliding into the gravel at turn one, and only a few corners of green flag running followed before the safety car was required again due to a three-car collision.

Rodin Motorsport’s Gianmarco Pradel collected Daryanani after getting sideways while trying a move into turn three, resulting in both cars retiring on the spot.

Hitech GP’s Nikita Johnson was able to use the high line through the banking to avoid the melee, but Argenti with Prema’s Yuanpu Cui locked up and collected Pradel’s machine.

There was only enough allocated time left for two more racing laps once the three stricken cars had been cleared, and Schwarze controlled proceedings to become the third different maiden winner of the weekend.

Macintyre maintained second ahead of Alpine Formula 1 junior Al Azhari, who scored his first GB3 podium.

Hitech’s Deagen Fairclough profited from the three-car tangle to climb seven places to fourth. Having lost out to Fairclough following the final restart, JHR’s Noah Lisle held off Johnson for fifth at the chequered flag by 0.062s

Xcel Motorsport’s points leader Patrick Heuzenroeder gained five spots to seventh, while Argenti’s Reza Seewooruthun prevailed in an early battle with Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Ninovic before holding off the Australian for eighth.

Heuzenroeder’s team-mate Jack Sherwood recovered from the back of the grid to 10th ahead of Rodin’s Abbi Pulling and Argenti’s Lucas Fluxa. Fortec Motorsports’ Stefan Bostandjiev went off at turn one on the penultimate tour and was classified one lap down.

Race results (12 laps)

The post VRD’s Schwarze becomes GB3 winner in chaotic reversed-grid race appeared first on Formula Scout.

Photo: GB3

Hugo Schwarze will make a GB3 return with Velocity Racing Development for this month’s season-opener at Silverstone.

The 18-year-old German, who was runner-up to Freddie Slater in Ginetta Junior in 2023, finished ninth in GB3 last year after remaining with Elite Motorsport for the step up to single-seaters. He was denied a maiden podium on the final lap during the second visit of the season to Silverstone, with two fourth places his best results at Zandvoort and Brands Hatch.

Schwarze has switched disciplines to endurance racing this year, having signed with Race-GP in the Le Mans Cup. He finished eighth on his debut in LMP3 machinery last weekend at Barcelona alongside fellow single-seater convert and multiple Formula Regional race-winner Hadrien David.

After fielding predominantly American line-ups in GB3 for the past two seasons, Dan Mitchell’s VRD operation has yet to sign any full-time drivers for the upcoming season. It ran Hunter Yeany during testing at Snetterton in March, and Schwarze joined the team for the two-day Silverstone test later in the month and tested again at Donington Park this week before confirming his entry for the first event.

“I’m really excited to get back going in the GB3 car with VRD Racing, obviously it’s a new car this year and I’ve really enjoyed my testing in it so far,” Schwarze. “Compared to the other drivers on the grid, I’ve not done as much testing in the new car, so I’m targeting top-10s in the first race weekend. As long as I get to grips with the car, get some good laps in and have some good racing, I’ll be happy with that.

“We’ve been working really well together as a team, and I’m looking forward to getting out at Silverstone. We’ve got some great guys here, my engineer Alex [Ridge] worked in Formula E before as well and I can already tell that we will be flying at Silverstone. I hope we can do more rounds as the season goes on, but for now the focus is on Silverstone and we’ll see what happens after.”

“We’re very excited to welcome Hugo to the team for Silverstone,” sad Mitchell. “He proved last year that he’s a very dependable and talented driver, especially given his experience, and he’s shown really well in his testing with us so far at Silverstone and Donington Park. We’re hopeful that we can extend our relationship beyond Silverstone, as I think we can do great things together as the season goes on.”

Xcel Motorsport recently confirmed that multiple British Formula 4 race-winner Dion Gowda will contest a partial GB3 campaign for the series debutant alongside its full-time drivers Patrick Heuzenroeder and Jack Sherwood.

The 16-year-old Indian is contesting a full FRegional European championship campaign with Van Amersfoort Racing in 2025 after spending the past two years in F4.  Gowda will race at the three GB3 events that do not clash with FRegional, being the Silverstone opener and the visits to Spa-Francorchamps and Brands Hatch.

The post Hugo Schwarze joins VRD for GB3 Silverstone season-opener appeared first on Formula Scout.

Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Hugo Schwarze will make his single-seater debut in GB3 with Elite Motorsport, who he finished runner-up with in Ginetta Junior last year.

The 17-year-old took two victories and nine other podium finishes in Ginetta’s entry-level sportscar series in his first season of car-racing in 2023. He only had one year of karting experience prior to that, having first driven a kart at the end of 2021.

Schwarze will race alongside experienced duo Jarrod Waberski and McKenzy Cresswell, who are embarking on their second and third GB3 campaigns respectively.

“My aim is to go as far as I possibly can in single-seaters which is why I’ve chosen to race in GB3,” said Schwarze. “The series has proven to be very competitive and a stepping stone for higher single-seater championships which is also my aim.

“It was quite a late decision to do Ginetta Junior last year but after my first tests, it was clear that we were going to be running at the front. Due to it being only my second season in motorsport, I had a lot to catch up on in terms of racecraft compared to the other drivers.

“I progressed throughout the season with Elite, working hard with the entire team. I am ready to continue my steep learning curve in what will be a tough but I’m sure an exciting year.

“Consistent top results helped me to become last year’s Ginetta Junior vice champion, in the most competitive junior one-make championship. I had a successful year with Elite and I’m hoping to build on that.

“The team, which already feels like family for me, doesn’t only provide a comfortable learning environment, but is also ambitious to get the best out of me.”

“I’m extremely happy to announce that Hugo is continuing with Elite Motorsport and moving up the motorsport ladder with us,” added Elite’s team owner, Eddie Ives. “It’s something we’ve been working on since last August when he had his first run in our GB3 car.

“Although he doesn’t have much experience in car racing, he is a natural and is great to work with. Everyone at Elite is looking forward to developing his driving and teaching him as much as we can in the GB3 car.

“Hugo’s progress will also benefit from his team-mates McKenzy and Jarrod who are both experienced in the category. We’re thrilled to be working with this trio in 2024.”

The post Hugo Schwarze completes Elite Motorsport’s GB3 line-up appeared first on Formula Scout.