Highly decorated karting talent Lewis Gilbert will make a significant career leap in 2026, joining the GB3 Championship with Arden Motorsport.
The 21-year-old from North Ayrshire becomes one of the few drivers in recent years to jump directly from karting into GB3, underlining both his raw talent and the confidence shown in him by his new team.
Arden Academy identifies emerging talent
Gilbert’s opportunity came through the newly launched Arden Academy, which aims to identify and develop promising young drivers. Initially, he joined 11 other emerging talents for a simulator assessment. Subsequently, Arden selected him for on-track testing in both GB4 and Formula Regional machinery. After delivering impressive performances in both categories, the team offered him an immediate step into GB3.
This rapid progression highlights Gilbert’s adaptability and natural ability, especially given his lack of prior single-seater race experience.
Proven pedigree in karting paves way for Gilbert to take on 2026 GB3 challenge with Arden Motorsport
Gilbert arrives in GB3 with an outstanding karting résumé. He claimed the European Championship and Rotax GP titles in 2018, before adding the British Open Championship crown in 2021.
Furthermore, he enjoyed a remarkable 2022 season, finishing as a two-time Vice World Champion and securing third place in the European Championship. Alongside these achievements, he also captured the Rotax British Open title.
Although he has yet to race in cars competitively, Gilbert has shown promise in limited appearances, including rally outings and a strong performance at Knockhill Racing Circuit, where he competed in a Ford Fiesta Evo Proto.
At Arden Motorsport’s Banbury base, Gilbert will partner Leon Wilson, a graduate of GB4, as the team returns to the GB3 grid. The squad brings a wealth of experience, having achieved success across multiple top-tier junior categories, including Formula 3000, Formula 2, GP2 and GP3. Importantly, the Arden Academy will continue to play a key role in nurturing talent, with biannual testing programmes designed to identify future stars.
Looking ahead, Gilbert remains fully aware of the challenge but is eager to prove himself at a higher level.
“I am absolutely delighted to have been chosen to represent Arden Motorsport and am really excited for what’s ahead. There’s a big learning curve ahead of me but I’m ready for the challenge as always. A massive thank you to everyone involved in making this happen and to Arden Motorsport for putting their faith in me. I can’t wait for the first race now.”
Team backs raw potential with eyes on development
Arden Motorsport Team Principal Garry Horner acknowledged the unusual nature of the move while expressing strong belief in Gilbert’s potential.
“It’s not very often that we’d consider taking a driver straight out of karting into GB3, especially with the way the series has grown in the past couple of years, but we’ve seen a lot of potential in Lewis already and are confident he’ll show well with us this year.”
“He’s already demonstrated his ability during official testing at Snetterton and Donington Park in recent weeks, stepping into a single-seater for the first time just this month, displaying constant improvements and mixing it with drivers boasting considerably greater experience. There’s no pressure on him, there’s a lot to learn this year, and we’re looking forward to seeing how he develops over the next few months.”
As Gilbert prepares for his debut season, expectations remain grounded. Both driver and team view 2026 as a year of development, adaptation and steady progress. Nevertheless, given his proven success in karting and strong early impressions in testing, Gilbert’s transition to GB3 could quickly become one of the most compelling stories of the season.
