2026 | GB3 | Brands Hatch | Testing | Pulling sets fastest-ever lap as Rodin tops close test

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Rodin Motorsport’s Abbi Pulling set the fastest-ever GB3 lap around the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit during Thursday testing, topping a tightly matched day of running ahead of the championship’s penultimate round at the venue later this month.

Pulling produced a 1:16.593 in the closing moments of the third 40-minute session to beat the previous all-time benchmark set by Rodin Motorsport teammate Martin Molnar during pre-season testing. Her effort improved Molnar’s record by just 0.012 seconds and left the leading three drivers separated by less than a tenth.

VRD Racing’s championship leader Nikita Bedrin finished second overall, while Molnar completed the top three after briefly leading inside the final minutes. Elite Motorsport’s Flynn Jackes also challenged at the front late in the session before the final improvements dropped him to fourth.

Pulling breaks Brands Hatch GB3 benchmark

Pulling delivered her quickest lap at the end of a frantic third session, producing the 1:16.593 that secured first place on the combined timesheet and established a new outright GB3 benchmark around the Brands Hatch Grand Prix layout.

Bedrin also improved during the closing stages and finished just 0.028 seconds behind Pulling, keeping the championship leader firmly among the fastest drivers ahead of the return to Brands Hatch for the competitive weekend.

Molnar had held the fastest-ever GB3 lap before Thursday’s running and briefly looked capable of topping the test himself. However, the final improvements from Pulling and Bedrin left him third overall, 0.080 seconds away from his teammate.

The margins remained exceptionally small at the front, with Pulling, Bedrin and Molnar covered by less than a tenth of a second.

Jackes and Campbell-Pilling complete the top five

Elite Motorsport’s Flynn Jackes also featured prominently during the final session. He moved to the top of the timesheets with around 10 minutes remaining before the late improvements from Pulling, Bedrin and Molnar dropped him to fourth.

Jackes still ended the day only 0.205 seconds away from Pulling’s record-breaking benchmark, keeping four drivers within just over two tenths.

Xcel Motorsport’s Rowan Campbell-Pilling followed in fifth. The Donington Park race winner finished 0.322 seconds behind Pulling and remained within striking distance of the leading group as teams gathered useful data ahead of the penultimate round.

Fairclough keeps sixth despite interrupted running

Hitech’s Deagen Fairclough set the pace during the opening session and ultimately used that morning effort to secure sixth overall.

The Donington Park double winner endured off-track excursions during sessions two and three, which disrupted his later running and limited his opportunity to challenge the improving times at the front.

Nevertheless, Fairclough’s earlier benchmark remained competitive enough to leave him only 0.345 seconds behind Pulling at the end of the day. His result also placed him just 0.023 seconds behind Campbell-Pilling in fifth.

Giannetta impresses during VRD Racing test programme

VRD Racing’s Ryan Giannetta continued his testing programme and produced an encouraging performance to finish seventh overall.

Giannetta ended the day 0.465 seconds away from Pulling and only 0.120 seconds behind Fairclough. He also narrowly held off Hillspeed’s Dante Vinci, who finished eighth with a best time 0.483 seconds slower than the outright pace.

Elite Motorsport’s Kyuho Lee followed in ninth, while Arden Motorsport’s Leon Wilson completed the top 10. Lee ended the day 0.657 seconds behind Pulling, while Wilson’s 0.814-second deficit meant the entire top 10 remained within one second of the new lap record.

With Brands Hatch set to host the penultimate event of the season later this month, Thursday’s closely matched test provided an early indication of the competitive order ahead of the championship’s return to the circuit.