Nikita Bedrin remains confident of securing his maiden single-seater championship as the 2026 GB3 season reaches its conclusion at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The VRD Racing driver enters the final round with an 89-point advantage over Hitech’s Deagen Fairclough and needs only a top-seven finish in Saturday’s opening race to guarantee the Drivers’ Championship.
The 20-year-old has dominated much of the season, securing six victories during the opening four rounds before adopting a more cautious approach to protect his championship advantage. However, with VRD also fighting for the Teams’ Championship, Bedrin intends to return to a more aggressive approach during the final weekend.
The American team trails Rodin Motorsport by just 16 points, with both organisations aiming to conclude the season with another championship title. Therefore, Bedrin hopes to secure both crowns while building on a campaign he considers one of the most enjoyable of his career.
Bedrin targets maiden single-seater championship at Barcelona
Bedrin arrives at Barcelona as the clear Drivers’ Championship favourite after establishing a substantial advantage throughout the opening half of the season. The Italian leads the standings with 445 points, while Fairclough follows on 356 after an exceptional resurgence during the previous three rounds.
With a maximum of 102 points available across the final three races, Bedrin requires just 14 additional points to guarantee the championship. A seventh-place finish in Race 1 would therefore secure the title regardless of his rivals’ results.
The full championship permutations ahead of Barcelona also leave Lucas Fluxá and Martin Molnar mathematically in contention, although both face substantial deficits.
Bedrin expressed his excitement about potentially securing his first single-seater championship, particularly after several challenging seasons across Formula Regional and FIA Formula 3.
“Winning a title would mean a lot,” he said. “I’ve delivered when I have had to this season, so I can be proud of the job we have done. The team deserves it because they have been on the back foot in previous years, so it would mean a lot to everyone [to do the double].”
Bedrin admits VRD adopted cautious approach during second half
Bedrin’s championship challenge began exceptionally strongly, with the VRD driver claiming six victories across the opening 11 races. However, he has not returned to the top step of the podium since completing a double victory at the Red Bull Ring in July.
His dominant Red Bull Ring Race 2 performance marked his sixth victory of the campaign, extending his championship lead and strengthening VRD’s position in the Teams’ standings.
Since then, Bedrin has concentrated on protecting his advantage rather than taking unnecessary risks. He acknowledged that the championship situation influenced his approach during the previous three rounds.
“We’ve played it safe in the last few races,” he explained. “I haven’t been in the championship fight many times in recent years, so we have had to take it a little safer than we wanted.”
Although the strategy helped him maintain a comfortable Drivers’ Championship advantage, Fairclough’s six consecutive conventional-grid victories have considerably reduced the gap between the two competitors.
However, Bedrin believes the final round presents an opportunity to adopt a more aggressive approach, particularly as VRD attempts to secure the Teams’ Championship alongside the Drivers’ crown.
VRD driver promises aggressive approach in Teams’ Championship fight
While Bedrin remains firmly in control of the Drivers’ standings, VRD faces a considerably closer battle for the Teams’ Championship. Rodin Motorsport enters Barcelona with 758 points, just 16 ahead of VRD on 742.
The American organisation has secured seven victories during the campaign, six through Bedrin and another through Patricio Gonzalez. However, Rodin has capitalised on consistent performances from Molnar, Maxim Rehm and Abbi Pulling to reclaim the championship lead.
The 2026 GB3 Teams’ Championship battle also includes Hitech and Xcel Motorsport, although the leading two teams remain the strongest contenders.
Bedrin intends to approach the Barcelona finale with greater freedom, particularly as VRD attempts to overturn Rodin’s narrow advantage.
“Now, we have a very safe gap [in the drivers’ standings] and are fighting for the team’s championship, so there is no more backing off. We will go all out because we really need to try and secure both titles.”
His determination could prove particularly important as VRD aims to prevent Rodin from securing a third consecutive Teams’ Championship.
Bedrin praises VRD after one of his favourite racing seasons
Despite the pressure surrounding the championship finale, Bedrin has thoroughly enjoyed his first GB3 campaign. The 20-year-old previously competed in FIA Formula 3 and the Formula Regional European Championship, gaining experience across several competitive single-seater categories before joining VRD for 2026.
His transition to GB3 has proved successful, with the team providing a competitive package that allowed him to establish an early championship advantage.
Bedrin particularly praised VRD’s approach to identifying and resolving problems, highlighting the collaborative relationship he has developed with the organisation.
“This has been one of my favourite years in racing and I’m going to miss it a lot,” he said. “I’m really enjoying working with VRD because whenever we have struggled for pace, we have found out what is wrong, done some work and [fixed it]. I really like the work ethic we have in the team.”
He also credited the team’s competitiveness with helping him deliver consistent performances, particularly during the opening half of the championship.
“When you have a good car, everything becomes easier from the driver’s side [and allows him] to be consistent and to deliver strong results.”
His comments reflect the importance of VRD’s contribution to his campaign, with the team’s early-season pace providing the foundation for his substantial championship lead.
Early-season dominance establishes crucial championship advantage
Bedrin’s remarkable opening half remains central to his championship position. The VRD driver secured six victories and three additional runner-up finishes across the first 11 races, establishing a 106-point lead by the halfway stage.
His strongest weekend came at the Red Bull Ring, where he won both conventional-grid races before recovering from 12th to second in the reversed-grid finale.
The record-breaking Austrian weekend delivered 97 points, extending his championship advantage beyond the maximum points available during a single event.
However, the competitive order changed considerably during the second half of the season. Fairclough emerged as the leading driver, completing three consecutive double-winning weekends at Silverstone, Donington Park and Brands Hatch.
The Hitech driver collected 254 points across those three rounds, compared with Bedrin’s 126, reducing the championship deficit by 128 points.
Nevertheless, Bedrin’s early dominance ensured he retained a commanding advantage despite his rival’s resurgence. His substantial lead has allowed him to prioritise consistency, although several difficult weekends prevented him from securing the championship before Barcelona.
Bedrin reflects on difficult Silverstone, Donington and Brands Hatch rounds
Although Bedrin maintained his championship lead throughout the second half of the campaign, he encountered several setbacks that complicated his pursuit of the title.
Silverstone proved particularly challenging, with the VRD driver struggling to match the pace of his closest competitors. He nevertheless collected valuable championship points despite failing to challenge for victory.
Donington Park subsequently produced his most difficult weekend. After finishing second to Fairclough in Race 1, Bedrin retired from Race 2 before finishing outside the points in the reversed-grid finale.
Brands Hatch also presented difficulties, although two third-place finishes allowed him to protect his advantage. A false-start penalty in Race 3 then dropped him to 11th in the amended classification.
Despite those setbacks, Bedrin remains satisfied with the overall direction of his campaign.
“We had difficult rounds at Donington Park and Brands Hatch, but in general it is still very positive,” he explained.
He continued, “We had some issues out of my control at Silverstone for the fifth round. We still managed to score some decent points, but the pace just wasn’t there.”
The contrast between Bedrin’s consistency and Fairclough’s late-season resurgence has shaped the final championship battle, leaving the VRD driver within reach of securing the title during Saturday’s opening race.
Bedrin welcomes Barcelona return after extensive previous experience
Bedrin enters the final weekend with considerable experience at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, having raced at the Spanish venue in either FIA Formula 3 or Formula Regional every year since 2023.
However, his familiarity with the circuit has occasionally made it a less exciting destination, particularly during previous seasons when teams regularly used Barcelona for testing.
“In the past, I have been quite bored of it because every single test we had was at Barcelona,” he laughed. “I haven’t driven it for almost a year, though, so I’m quite excited.”
The 2.894-mile circuit presents a demanding combination of high-speed corners and technical sections, requiring drivers to maintain precision throughout the lap.
Bedrin considers Barcelona “one of the most physical tracks” he knows and described the circuit as “a bit high cortisol” when drivers lack familiarity with its characteristics.
However, his previous experience should provide an advantage as he attempts to deliver another competitive qualifying performance.
Bedrin confident Barcelona will suit VRD’s car
Despite the difficulties encountered at several British circuits during the second half of the season, Bedrin believes Barcelona’s characteristics should suit VRD’s package.
The Spanish venue places considerable importance on aerodynamic performance, braking stability and maintaining momentum through its longer corners. Drivers must also execute clean qualifying laps to maximise their starting positions, particularly given the closely matched nature of the GB3 field.
Bedrin highlighted the precision required to perform consistently around the circuit while expressing confidence in VRD’s competitiveness.
“On the qualifying laps, you need to be super precise,” he explained. “Barcelona is a track that suits our car a bit better than the UK tracks, so I’m confident we will have good pace there.”
His confidence received an early boost during Friday morning’s opening Free Practice session, when he set the fastest time of the Barcelona weekend.
Bedrin recorded a 1:32.674, finishing just 0.029 seconds ahead of Xcel Motorsport’s Rowan Campbell-Pilling. VRD teammate Patricio Gonzalez completed the top three, providing another encouraging indication ahead of the final qualifying sessions.
Bedrin looks towards 2027 and potential Formula E opportunities
While Bedrin remains focused on securing both GB3 championships, he has also begun considering his next career move.
The 20-year-old currently belongs to the DS Penske Driver Development Programme in Formula E, providing a potential avenue for future opportunities in the all-electric championship.
Having previously competed in FIA Formula 3 and Formula Regional, Bedrin has accumulated considerable experience across several single-seater categories. His performances during the 2026 GB3 season have now strengthened his position as he evaluates his next steps.
Although he acknowledged that securing a future opportunity remains uncertain, he believes his current situation has improved considerably.
“I’m in a better position than I thought I would be a month ago,” he explained. “We have some connections and while the chance is still not big, at least I’m in a position where I can show teams what I am capable of.”
A championship victory would provide another important achievement as Bedrin considers his options for 2027, particularly after a season in which he has demonstrated both race-winning pace and consistency.
Bedrin aims to complete successful 2026 GB3 campaign with double title
The Barcelona finale presents Bedrin with an opportunity to conclude his debut GB3 campaign with both the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships.
His six victories and strong opening-half performances have established a commanding Drivers’ Championship advantage, while his consistency during the more difficult second half has prevented Fairclough from completing a remarkable comeback.
Nevertheless, the Teams’ Championship remains considerably closer. VRD must overturn Rodin’s 16-point advantage, creating an additional objective as Bedrin prepares to abandon the conservative approach he adopted during recent events.
The Barcelona season-finale preview outlines the remaining championship battles, with qualifying and Race 1 scheduled for Saturday, 7 November, before the final two races on Sunday.
Bedrin needs only a top-seven finish in the opening contest to secure the Drivers’ title, but he remains determined to challenge for victories as VRD pursues the championship double.
After describing 2026 as one of his favourite racing seasons, the 20-year-old now has an opportunity to reward his team’s efforts and complete his campaign with the first single-seater championship of his career.
