Franciszek Cegielski continued his impressive start to the Oulton Park weekend by ending the second day of 2026 GB4 Championship testing sixth fastest overall for Fortec Motorsport.
The 16-year-old rookie also emerged as the quickest newcomer across Friday’s running, finishing more than six tenths of a second ahead of his nearest rookie rival in 11th place. As a result, Cegielski reinforced the progress he has made since the opening round of the season at Silverstone, where he managed a best finish of 14th.
Although the Polish driver has already taken a significant step forward, he believes there is still more performance to unlock ahead of Qualifying and the races.
Cegielski confident of fighting at the front at Oulton Park after two competitive days of GB4 testing
After two productive days of testing, Cegielski remained focused on refining both his driving and the car setup in pursuit of stronger results.
“We are still testing and looking for more because there is definitely more in my driving,” he said. “I think we can fight for top positions this weekend and we just need to set up everything, put a lap together and give everything in the races.”
His pace around the challenging Cheshire circuit highlighted a notable improvement compared to Silverstone. Furthermore, the Fortec Motorsport driver steadily reduced the gap to experienced teammate Thomas Ingram Hill throughout the sessions.
By the end of Friday, Cegielski sat within four tenths of a second of the Briton, who entered his second GB4 season after securing sixth place in last year’s standings alongside two podium finishes.
Experienced teammate providing valuable support
Cegielski acknowledged the benefits of working alongside a more experienced teammate as he continues adapting to single-seater racing.
“It’s good to be close because we can take data and improve my driving.”
That development became particularly evident during Thursday’s sessions. Not only did Cegielski finish second fastest twice during the day, but he also outpaced Ingram Hill in Session 2. Consequently, the rookie heads into Aualifying believing a strong result is within reach if he can deliver a clean lap.
“Yesterday I was a top guy, so I think everything is possible tomorrow,” he said. “I just need to set a lap, don’t make any mistakes and full push.”
Oulton Park challenge suits aggressive approach
Unlike the wide expanses and forgiving run-off areas at Silverstone, Oulton Park presents drivers with a much more demanding challenge. The narrow layout, heavy kerbs and limited margin for error have quickly become favourites of the young Pole.
Importantly, Cegielski believes the circuit suits his aggressive driving style.
“I enjoy the track a lot,” he smiled. “I like the heavy kerbs. You have to be so aggressive on this track, there’s no room for any mistakes and I like it.”
With confidence building and pace improving throughout testing, Cegielski now enters the competitive sessions aiming to convert his strong form into a breakthrough GB4 result.
