Archie Pearce will make his car-racing debut with Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing when he contests the inaugural GB4 Winter Series at Snetterton on 24-25 October.
The 17-year-old has spent much of 2026 preparing for the transition from karting to single-seaters as part of the team’s Junior Academy. Pearce has combined an expanding GB4 testing programme with time embedded within Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing at race weekends, allowing him to learn the technical and operational aspects of competing in cars before making his first start.
His debut will come during the GB4 Winter Series, which will feature two Qualifying sessions and four races across the Snetterton weekend. Pre-event testing will also take place on the Thursday and Friday ahead of the two-day competition.
Pearce progresses through Nitrous Competitions academy
Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing launched its Junior Academy earlier this year to help young karters prepare for the transition into single-seater competition. Pearce joined the programme alongside Mollie Mizen, with the academy designed to provide drivers with access to the team’s facilities, race-weekend environment and GB4 testing programme.
Rather than limiting the programme to time behind the wheel, the team has integrated Pearce into its wider operation. He has attended several GB4 events during the season, joining debriefs and observing the preparation, engineering work and responsibilities that form part of a driver’s weekend.
That exposure has run alongside his testing programme. Pearce completed his first car test at Bedford Autodrome in July before building his mileage with further running in Wales. His preparation intensified in September with multiple test days at Anglesey and Pembrey as the team moved closer to his competitive debut.
Pearce believes the gradual introduction to single-seaters has helped him manage the substantial jump from karting.
“I’m so excited to finally go racing at Snetterton in October. Joining the GB4 Winter Series is what I’ve been training for, and I’m confident that with the team’s continued advice and support, I can progress through this next exciting step in my career. Testing has gone well so far, it’s a big jump from karting, but Gary and all the team are super supportive and that just makes me feel more determined to go out and do my best in a few weeks’ time.”
Karting keeps Pearce race sharp
While his focus has increasingly shifted towards preparing for GB4, Pearce has continued competing in karts throughout 2026.
He has made appearances in Club 100 and the FAT Karting League, maintaining regular competitive running while accumulating single-seater testing mileage. Pearce finished eighth overall in his class during his debut karting campaign in the FAT Karting League in 2025.
That continued karting programme gives him regular race experience while Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing works on the different technical demands required for cars, including braking, aerodynamic grip, setup feedback and working directly with engineers.
His Snetterton appearance will now provide the first opportunity to put those lessons into practice in competitive single-seater conditions.
Ward sees Winter Series as next development step
Team Principal Gary Ward believes Pearce has justified the team’s intention to place him on its Winter Series grid through his approach to the academy programme and testing.
The Snetterton weekend will not represent the conclusion of that development process. Instead, Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing views the event as another stage in a longer-term programme, with the team already looking towards potentially continuing its relationship with Pearce beyond his debut.
“It’s always been our intention to have Archie amongst our Winter Series line-up, and he’s justified our faith in him with his attitude and work rate with us this year. He’s adapted well to single-seaters in the testing we’ve done so far, and there’s a lot of promise for us to build on over the next few weeks as we get set for his car racing debut. There’s no pressure on him, this is an ongoing project for us all, and I’m sure a positive run at Snetterton will give us plenty more to build on as we aim to continue together next year.”
The approach reflects the purpose behind the academy when Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing launched it in March. The programme aims to create a pathway from karting into GB4 and potentially further up the single-seater ladder, while giving drivers time to develop away from the immediate pressure of a full championship campaign.
Nitrous looks to establish pathway from karting
Pearce’s debut will also provide the team with its first opportunity to take one of its academy drivers through the entire process from preparation to competitive single-seater racing.
Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing already competes full-time in GB4, where it has fielded drivers including Caitlyn McDaniel and Jamie Leverton during 2026. The team also began the season with Luke Hilton, who showed front-running pace and claimed a place among the championship’s pole winners before his campaign ended earlier in the year.
Pearce will now become part of the squad’s next phase as it attempts to use the academy to identify and prepare future drivers before they enter the main championship.
Team co-owner David Williams hopes Pearce will become the first of several young karters to make that progression through the programme.
“We’re looking forward to seeing what Archie can achieve with us at Snetterton. It’s always an exciting moment to see a young racer make the move from karting into cars for the first time, and we’re hoping Archie will be the first of many to make that jump with us. We love working with him, and we’re sure he’ll do himself proud in October.”
Snetterton provides first competitive GB4 test
Pearce will make his debut on a circuit GB4 drivers already know well from the main championship. Snetterton hosted Round 5 of the 2026 season, with Pit Debrief covering the event throughout testing and the three-race weekend, including the Friday test and the championship’s 100th race.
The Winter Series will provide a more condensed but busy competitive programme. Each day will include one Qualifying session and two races, creating four opportunities for Pearce to gain experience of starts, racecraft, tyre management and working through a complete competitive weekend.
Teams can field up to four cars, while the split-permit format also allows them to alter their driver line-ups between the two days. For Pearce, however, the focus will remain on building upon the extensive preparation completed since joining the academy.
His debut marks the first major competitive step in that programme. After months of testing, observing GB4 weekends and remaining race sharp in karting, Pearce will finally move from preparation to competition when the Winter Series begins at Snetterton on 24 October.
