Hitech’s Deagen Fairclough has taken the 2026 Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup battle to the final round after claiming another double pole position at Brands Hatch.
Fairclough produced the fastest-ever GB3 lap of the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit during Saturday’s Qualifying session, securing his second double pole of the season. The British driver had previously claimed both poles at Silverstone in August and has now taken five of the last six available.
That run has brought Fairclough to within one pole of VRD Racing’s Nikita Bedrin ahead of the Barcelona finale. Bedrin remains on six compared with Fairclough’s five, while only two poles remain available at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Fairclough continues remarkable Qualifying run
Fairclough arrived at Brands Hatch already carrying significant momentum from the second half of the season. After claiming his first two GB3 pole positions at Silverstone, he continued his strong form at Donington Park, where Bedrin denied him in the opening Qualifying session by only 0.056s before Fairclough responded to take Race 2 pole.
Brands Hatch then returned him to complete control.
Fairclough set a 1m16.451s during Qualifying 1, establishing a new GB3 Qualifying record around the Grand Prix circuit. He went considerably faster in the second session, lowering the benchmark to 1m16.090s and beating Xcel Motorsport’s Rowan Campbell-Pilling by 0.194s.
The double extended Fairclough’s remarkable recent sequence to five poles from six sessions. Bedrin’s Donington Park Race 1 pole remains the only interruption since Fairclough first moved to the front at Silverstone.
Fairclough subsequently converted both Brands Hatch poles into dominant victories. He won Race 1 by 14.392s before completing the double in Race 2 with a 7.432s advantage, further underlining the pace that has transformed his second half of the campaign.
Bedrin retains Pole Position Cup advantage
Despite Fairclough’s recent surge, Bedrin still controls the Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup heading into Barcelona. The championship leader has taken six poles across the first seven rounds, leaving him one clear of Fairclough.
The permutations remain straightforward. Should Bedrin claim either pole during the Barcelona finale, he will secure the 2026 award regardless of Fairclough’s result in the other session. Fairclough therefore needs to outscore the VRD Racing driver across the two Qualifying sessions and remains the only driver capable of denying him the prize.
Martin Molnar sits third with two poles for Rodin Motorsport, while teammate Abbi Pulling has claimed one. Neither can now challenge the leading pair with only two opportunities remaining.
The Pole Position Cup battle adds another contest between Fairclough and Bedrin heading into the season finale. Bedrin also leads the Drivers’ Championship after Round 7 at Brands Hatch, while Fairclough’s remarkable late-season form has moved him into second.
Brands Hatch double brings further prize money
Fairclough earned £600 in prize money for his two Brands Hatch poles, with each also bringing a trophy presented by award founder John Cavill.
The driver who finishes the season with the most poles will receive the Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup alongside a £2,000 prize. The winning driver’s team will also receive £2,000, adding another incentive for Hitech and VRD Racing during the Barcelona finale.
The award honours Jack Cavill, who supported underfunded racing drivers from the 1960s onwards. His son John has continued that work and has partnered with the championship through the Pole Position Cup since the series began as BRDC Formula 4 in 2013.
The list of previous winners includes drivers who later progressed to the highest levels of motorsport. George Russell is among the former Pole Position Cup winners, alongside IndyCar podium finisher Linus Lundqvist and Williams Formula 1 reserve Luke Browning. Lando Norris and Ollie Bearman have also received prizes through the award during their junior careers.
2026 Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup standings
- Nikita Bedrin — VRD Racing — 6 poles
- Deagen Fairclough — Hitech — 5 poles
- Martin Molnar — Rodin Motorsport — 2 poles
- Abbi Pulling — Rodin Motorsport — 1 pole
Fairclough’s Brands Hatch performance therefore ensures the award will remain undecided until the final round. Bedrin needs only one more pole to put the contest beyond his rival, but Fairclough arrives in Barcelona as the form driver in Qualifying after taking five of the last six available.
With two sessions remaining, their battle for the Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup will run alongside the wider championship fight when GB3 concludes its 2026 season at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
