Xcel Motorsport’s Rowan Campbell-Pilling topped Thursday testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, setting the fastest lap during a closely contested four-hour session ahead of the 2026 GB3 Championship season finale.
The British driver produced a 1:32.990 in the closing stages to finish just 0.086 seconds ahead of Rodin Motorsport’s Martin Molnar, who had briefly led the timesheets during the final 15 minutes. Hitech’s Deagen Fairclough completed the top three, finishing 0.251 seconds behind Campbell-Pilling as he continued his impressive form from the previous rounds.
The 25-car field was closely matched throughout the afternoon, with several drivers improving after a brief spell of rain during the final hour. JHR Developments newcomer Lewis Wherrell finished fourth ahead of TJ Speed Motorsports’ Ary Bansal, while the top ten were separated by just 0.582 seconds.
Campbell-Pilling leads late Barcelona testing improvements
Campbell-Pilling emerged fastest after a competitive final period in which several drivers challenged for the leading position. The Xcel Motorsport driver completed his quickest lap on the 49th of his 54 tours, setting a 1:32.990 at an average speed of 180.3km/h around the 4.657km circuit.
His performance followed an encouraging end to the previous round at Brands Hatch, where he secured second place in Race 2. Campbell-Pilling also claimed his maiden GB3 victory during the reversed-grid finale at Donington Park, with his breakthrough victory earlier in the season demonstrating his ability to challenge at the front.
Molnar had briefly appeared on course to lead Thursday’s classification after moving to the top during the final 15 minutes. However, Campbell-Pilling’s late improvement displaced the Hungarian, leaving him second with a 1:33.076.
The Rodin driver nevertheless finished just 0.086 seconds behind the benchmark, providing an encouraging start to a weekend in which he remains mathematically involved in the Drivers’ Championship battle.
Fairclough continues strong form ahead of championship decider
Fairclough completed the top three for Hitech, setting a 1:33.241 on his 50th lap during the afternoon. The British driver finished 0.251 seconds behind Campbell-Pilling and 0.165 seconds away from Molnar, maintaining the competitive pace that has characterised his remarkable second-half resurgence.
The Hitech driver arrives in Barcelona having won all six conventional-grid races across the previous three rounds at Silverstone, Donington Park and Brands Hatch. His latest performances have elevated him to second in the Drivers’ Championship, although he remains 89 points behind leader Nikita Bedrin.
Fairclough’s dominant Brands Hatch Race 1 performance formed part of another double-winning weekend, strengthening his position as Bedrin’s closest challenger.
Thursday’s result suggests he could remain competitive during the final round, particularly with the Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup and Teams’ Championship also undecided.
Although testing times cannot establish the competitive order definitively, Fairclough’s position among the leading drivers provides another encouraging indication ahead of Friday’s three Free Practice sessions.
Wherrell and Bansal impress during first GB3 appearance
Two newcomers delivered particularly impressive performances during Thursday’s running, with JHR Developments’ Lewis Wherrell and TJ Speed Motorsports’ Ary Bansal completing the top five.
Wherrell marked JHR’s return to GB3 by setting a 1:33.369, placing him fourth overall and just 0.379 seconds behind Campbell-Pilling. The British driver completed 57 laps, gaining valuable experience in the more powerful machinery after finishing third in the 2026 British F4 Championship.
His performance provided an encouraging beginning for the team, which is returning to GB3 with Wherrell and Thomas Ingram Hill following its previous success in the championship.
Bansal also impressed during his first appearance with TJ Speed, leading a significant portion of the four-hour session before the late improvements dropped him to fifth. The Indian driver eventually recorded a 1:33.374, finishing just 0.005 seconds behind Wherrell.
The reigning GB4 champion’s promotion to GB3 with TJ Speed Motorsports follows a successful Formula 4 campaign, and his early pace provided an encouraging start to the team’s first GB3 weekend.
Rehm and Lee remain within half a second of leading pace
Rodin Motorsport’s Maxim Rehm followed the two newcomers in sixth, recording a 1:33.401 to finish 0.411 seconds behind Campbell-Pilling. His fastest effort came on lap 41 of 42, leaving him just 0.027 seconds behind Bansal.
Elite Motorsport’s Kyuho Lee completed the top seven with a 1:33.423, placing him another 0.022 seconds behind Rehm. Lee completed 57 laps during the four-hour session, ending the afternoon 0.433 seconds away from the overall benchmark.
The close margins continued throughout the leading group, with only 0.054 seconds separating Wherrell in fourth and Lee in seventh. Their performances reinforced the tightly matched nature of Thursday’s running as teams began preparing for the championship’s first competitive visit to Barcelona.
For Rodin, Rehm’s result also provided an encouraging indication ahead of the decisive Teams’ Championship weekend. The organisation enters the finale with a 16-point advantage over VRD Racing, making the performances of multiple drivers important as the two teams prepare to contest the final three races.
Gonzalez leads VRD as Bedrin finishes ninth
VRD Racing’s Patricio Gonzalez emerged as the fastest of the team’s drivers, placing eighth with a 1:33.460. The Mexican completed 58 laps, more than any other competitor except several drivers further down the classification, and finished 0.470 seconds behind Campbell-Pilling.
Championship leader Bedrin followed in ninth, setting a 1:33.480 on lap 20 of his 45-lap programme. The Italian finished just 0.020 seconds behind Gonzalez, although his best effort left him almost half a second away from the leading time.
Bedrin enters Barcelona with a commanding advantage in the Drivers’ standings, holding 445 points compared with Fairclough’s 356. The full Barcelona season-finale preview outlines the championship situation, with Bedrin requiring only 14 additional points to guarantee the title.
Xcel Motorsport’s Lucas Fluxá completed the top ten with a 1:33.572, finishing 0.582 seconds behind his teammate Campbell-Pilling.
The Spaniard remains mathematically involved in the championship battle following his maiden victory at Brands Hatch, although he faces a substantial deficit heading into the final round.
Pulling leads chasing group as newcomers gain experience
Abbi Pulling narrowly missed the top ten, placing 11th for Rodin Motorsport with a 1:33.588. The British driver finished just 0.016 seconds behind Fluxá, leaving her within six tenths of the fastest lap.
TJ Speed’s Arjen Kräling followed in 12th, setting a 1:33.609 during his first GB3 appearance. The German completed 32 laps as he continued adapting to the machinery alongside Bansal.
Hillspeed’s Aurelia Nobels finished 13th ahead of Elite Motorsport newcomer Fred Green, who recorded a 1:33.769. Peter Bouzinelos and Dante Vinci followed in 15th and 16th respectively, giving Hillspeed three cars within 0.848 seconds of the leading time.
Hitech’s Yuhao Fu placed 17th, while British F4 runner-up Theo Palmer completed the top 18 on his GB3 debut. Palmer’s 1:33.962 left him 0.972 seconds behind Campbell-Pilling, meaning 18 drivers finished within one second of the fastest lap.
Ricardo Baptista placed 19th for Xcel, ahead of JHR newcomer Thomas Ingram Hill. Flynn Jackes, Rodrigo Gonzalez, Leon Wilson and Jason Pribyl followed, while Arden Motorsport’s Matan Achituv completed the 25-car classification.
The entire field was covered by 2.201 seconds, highlighting the competitive nature of the opening test despite the varying experience levels among the established drivers and newcomers.
2026 GB3 Barcelona Thursday testing: Classification
The official MSVR timing classification confirms the complete results from Thursday’s four-hour session, with all gaps measured against Campbell-Pilling’s fastest lap.
- Rowan Campbell-Pilling, Xcel Motorsport — 1:32.990
- Martin Molnar, Rodin Motorsport — +0.086s
- Deagen Fairclough, Hitech — +0.251s
- Lewis Wherrell, JHR Developments — +0.379s
- Ary Bansal, TJ Speed Motorsports — +0.384s
- Maxim Rehm, Rodin Motorsport — +0.411s
- Kyuho Lee, Elite Motorsport — +0.433s
- Patricio Gonzalez, VRD Racing — +0.470s
- Nikita Bedrin, VRD Racing — +0.490s
- Lucas Fluxá, Xcel Motorsport — +0.582s
- Abbi Pulling, Rodin Motorsport — +0.598s
- Arjen Kräling, TJ Speed Motorsports — +0.619s
- Aurelia Nobels, Hillspeed — +0.762s
- Fred Green, Elite Motorsport — +0.779s
- Peter Bouzinelos, Hillspeed — +0.791s
- Dante Vinci, Hillspeed — +0.848s
- Yuhao Fu, Hitech — +0.946s
- Theo Palmer, Hitech — +0.972s
- Ricardo Baptista, Xcel Motorsport — +1.229s
- Thomas Ingram Hill, JHR Developments — +1.265s
- Flynn Jackes, Elite Motorsport — +1.311s
- Rodrigo Gonzalez, VRD Racing — +1.338s
- Leon Wilson, Arden Motorsport — +1.911s
- Jason Pribyl, Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing — +1.916s
- Matan Achituv, Arden Motorsport — +2.201s
Fastest lap: Rowan Campbell-Pilling — 1:32.990 (lap 49).
Thursday’s closely matched test provided an early indication of the competition awaiting the field during the final round. Campbell-Pilling’s late improvement gave Xcel Motorsport the fastest time, while Molnar and Fairclough remained within striking distance ahead of Friday’s running.
The championship will continue with three 30-minute Free Practice sessions on Friday, 6 November, scheduled for 11:00, 14:20 and 16:20 local time (CET). Teams will have a further opportunity to refine their preparations before Saturday’s qualifying sessions determine the grids for the opening two races.
