The 2026 GB3 Championship continues this weekend as the field travels to the Hungaroring for Round 3 of the season. Taking place across 4–5 July, the event brings the championship to one of Formula 1’s most technical and physically demanding venues.
Nikita Bedrin arrives in Hungary with a 27-point advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. The VRD Racing driver strengthened his position at Spa-Francorchamps, where he claimed his third victory from the opening five races and increased his total to 140 points.
However, Maxim Rehm remains within reach on 113 points, while home driver Martin Molnar will aim to build on two podium finishes from Spa. Rodin Motorsport and VRD Racing are also tied on 217 points in the Teams’ Championship, meaning the Hungarian round could reshape both title battles.
Hungaroring presents a different challenge for GB3 field
The Hungaroring offers a significant contrast to the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps circuit that hosted the previous round.
The narrow and technical layout contains long sequences of connected corners, placing a premium on rhythm, precision and aerodynamic balance. Drivers who make a mistake early in a sequence can lose time through several subsequent corners.
Furthermore, overtaking can prove difficult because the circuit contains relatively few long straights. The main straight and braking zone for Turn 1 will provide the clearest passing opportunity, while drivers may also attempt moves into Turn 2.
As a result, Saturday morning’s two qualifying sessions could prove particularly important. Track position will give drivers greater control during the opening two races, while anyone who starts further back may struggle to recover.
Warm conditions could also add another challenge. Drivers must manage tyre performance and physical fatigue while maintaining concentration around a circuit that offers little opportunity to relax.
Bedrin leads after another commanding weekend
Bedrin established himself as the early championship benchmark during the opening round at Silverstone, where he claimed both pole positions and converted them into victories.
The Italian continued that form at Spa. He qualified third for Race 1 and finished second behind Abbi Pulling before securing pole and a controlled victory in Race 2.
Those results increased Bedrin’s total to 140 points and extended his championship advantage from nine to 27. He has now won three of the opening five races and claimed three of the four pole positions available across the first two rounds.
However, the Hungaroring may provide a different test. Its limited overtaking opportunities will punish any qualifying mistake, while the tightly packed field could make it more difficult for Bedrin to recover if he starts outside the leading positions.
VRD Racing will also aim to protect its share of the Teams’ Championship lead. Patricio Gonzalez sits seventh in the drivers’ standings on 57 points, while Rodrigo Gonzalez occupies ninth with 51.
Rehm and Rodin lead the chasing group
Rehm remains Bedrin’s closest championship challenger after another consistent weekend at Spa.
The Rodin Motorsport driver finished third in Race 1 before taking second behind Bedrin in Race 2. He has yet to win during his first full GB3 campaign, but regular podium finishes have allowed him to remain ahead of the wider chasing group.
Rodin also enters the weekend with strength across its complete line-up. Molnar sits fourth in the Drivers’ Championship on 81 points, while Pulling occupies sixth with 63.
Pulling claimed her maiden GB3 victory at Spa after converting pole into a controlled Race 1 success. The result made her the first female driver to win in the championship and confirmed her place among the season’s leading contenders.
Molnar also produced his strongest weekend of the season in Belgium. He secured two podium finishes and moved within 15 points of Jin Nakamura, who currently holds third but has stepped away from GB3 to focus on FIA Formula 3.
Consequently, Molnar has an opportunity to move into the championship’s top three during his home round.
Molnar prepares for special home appearance
Molnar will become the first Hungarian driver to contest a GB3 race at the Hungaroring.
The 17-year-old lives approximately half an hour from the circuit and expects significant support throughout the weekend. However, Thursday’s testing marked his first proper on-track experience at the venue, despite his familiarity with it through simulator preparation.
Molnar has already shown front-running potential during his rookie campaign. He qualified on the front row at Silverstone and led much of the opening race before adding two podiums at Spa.
The home event will bring additional attention, but it also provides an opportunity for Molnar to close on Bedrin and Rehm. A strong qualifying performance could place him in contention for his first GB3 victory in front of the Hungarian crowd.
Key contenders target further progress
Lucas Fluxá enters the weekend only two points behind Molnar in fifth place.
The Xcel Motorsport driver has scored consistently across the opening rounds and remains one of the strongest contenders without a victory. His results have also helped Xcel move to fourth in the Teams’ Championship with 135 points.
Deagen Fairclough will meanwhile aim to convert his outright pace into a stronger championship return. The Hitech driver has repeatedly challenged near the front but lost significant points through incidents and retirements during the opening rounds.
The 2024 British F4 champion demonstrated his potential again at Spa, where he fought within the leading group and finished ahead of Pulling and Molnar in Race 2.
Rowan Campbell-Pilling also remains inside the championship’s top 10 after an encouraging start with Xcel Motorsport. The British driver sits eighth on 54 points, level with several more experienced contenders.
Elite Motorsport’s Flynn Jackes completes the current top 10. Jackes claimed his maiden podium during the Silverstone reverse-grid race and has continued to score consistently despite a difficult Spa weekend.
Rookies and new arrivals add depth to Hungaroring grid
Jacob Micallef will make his GB3 debut with Hitech after joining the team for selected rounds.
The 16-year-old replaces Nakamura and becomes the first Maltese driver to compete in the championship. Micallef steps up while continuing his F4 Spanish Championship campaign, in which he claimed pole position at Portimão during only his second event of the season.
Kyuho Lee will also aim to build on an encouraging start with Elite Motorsport. The South Korean showed front-running pace during the Silverstone reverse-grid finale and continues to adapt during his first full GB3 campaign.
Hillspeed enters the weekend with Dante Vinci, Peter Bouzinelos and Aurelia Nobels. Vinci has regularly qualified near the top 10, while Bouzinelos continues his development after stepping up from GB4.
Nobels will seek a stronger overall result after showing improving qualifying pace. The Brazilian has moved into GB3 following two seasons in F1 Academy and came within a quarter of a second of the top half of the grid during Spa qualifying.
Arden Motorsport completes the field with Lewis Gilbert and Leon Wilson. Both drivers have scored points during the opening two rounds and will aim to continue their progress on another unfamiliar European circuit.
Full entry list: 2026 GB3 Hungaroring grid
The 19-driver field for Round 3 is as follows:
Rodin Motorsport
Maxim Rehm — Germany
Martin Molnar — Hungary
Abbi Pulling — Great Britain
Hitech
Yuhao Fu — China
Deagen Fairclough — Great Britain
Jacob Micallef — Malta
Xcel Motorsport
Lucas Fluxá — Spain
Rowan Campbell-Pilling — Great Britain
Ricardo Baptista — Brazil
Hillspeed
Dante Vinci — Australia
Peter Bouzinelos — Australia
Aurelia Nobels — Brazil
Elite Motorsport
Flynn Jackes — Philippines
Kyuho Lee — South Korea
VRD Racing
Nikita Bedrin — Italy
Patricio Gonzalez — Mexico
Rodrigo Gonzalez — Mexico
Arden Motorsport
Lewis Gilbert — Great Britain
Leon Wilson — Great Britain
2026 GB3 weekend schedule at the Hungaroring
The event begins with two days of preparation before qualifying and racing take place across Saturday and Sunday.
Thursday provides 90 minutes of testing, divided into three 30-minute sessions.
Thursday 2 July — live timing
- 09:00–09:30 — Session 1
- 12:26–12:56 — Session 2
- 16:40–17:10 — Session 3
The running gives drivers an opportunity to learn the circuit while teams work to establish a stable set-up for its long sequences of medium-speed corners.
Friday features another three sessions, allowing the field to complete its qualifying preparations.
Friday 3 July — live timing
- 08:30–09:00 — Free Practice 1
- 12:40–13:10 — Free Practice 2
- 18:25–18:55 — Free Practice 3
The sessions take place at different times of day, meaning teams must account for changes in track temperature and grip before Saturday morning.
Qualifying and Race 1 open competitive action
The two-part qualifying session begins Saturday’s competitive running.
Saturday 4 July — live timing and streaming
- 09:00 — Qualifying 1
- 09:20 — Qualifying 2
- 13:30 — Race 1
Qualifying 1 will determine the Race 1 grid, while the second session sets the order for Race 2.
With only a short break between the two sessions, drivers must deliver immediately while managing tyres, traffic and track evolution. The circuit’s limited overtaking opportunities will also increase the value of every grid position.
Race 1 begins at 13:30, with live coverage expected to start approximately 20 minutes before the scheduled start.
Sunday double-header concludes Round 3
The weekend finishes with two races on Sunday.
Sunday 5 July — live timing and streaming
- 11:10 — Race 2
- 18:10 — Race 3
Race 2 will use the grid formed by each driver’s fastest time from Qualifying 2.
The top-12 reverse-grid finale will then close the event on Sunday evening. The format should create a significant challenge for the leading championship contenders, who may need to recover from the middle of the field around a circuit where overtaking remains difficult.
How to follow the 2026 GB3 Hungaroring action
Fans can follow every session through live timing on the GB3 Championship website.
All three races will also stream live through the GB3 website and the MSV TV YouTube channel. The pre-race coverage is expected to begin approximately 20 minutes before each scheduled start.
All listed times are local Central European Summer Time.
Looking ahead to an important Hungarian round
Bedrin enters the Hungaroring with a clear championship advantage, but the title fight remains far from settled.
Rehm continues to score consistently, while Molnar arrives with momentum and the support of his home crowd. Pulling has already shown that she can convert qualifying pace into victory, while Fluxá and Fairclough remain capable of joining the fight at the front.
The Teams’ Championship presents an even closer picture, with Rodin and VRD level on points after the opening two rounds.
The Hungaroring now introduces a different test. Its narrow layout rewards precision, qualifying speed and disciplined race craft, while the reverse-grid finale could create opportunities for surprise results.
With six preparation sessions, two crucial qualifying contests and three races across the weekend, Round 3 could provide another major shift in the developing 2026 championship battle.
