GB3 Championship heads to Zandvoort for Round 2 of 2025

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The 2025 GB3 Championship burst into life at Silverstone in April, as the new Tatuus MSV GB3-025 made a spectacular debut. Hillspeed’s Freddie Slater claimed two emphatic victories, while Elite Motorsport’s Will Macintyre sealed the weekend with a composed win in the finale. Yet, as the series moves abroad for its first international event at Zandvoort (15–18 May), the dynamics at the top of the standings have shifted.

Lisle leads the charge but Pradel and Heuzenroeder in the mix

With Slater absent from Zandvoort, Noah Lisle of JHR Developments arrives as the provisional championship leader. The Australian impressed with two runner-up finishes at Silverstone, establishing himself as a serious title contender. Right behind him sits Nikita Johnson, the American sophomore racing for Hitech TGR. Johnson not only secured a podium in race two, but he also heads back to a circuit where he triumphed last year, adding weight to his credentials.

Just one point further back, Gianmarco Pradel has already shown why Rodin Motorsport placed its faith in him. The Italian F4 race-winner adapted quickly, converting a front-row start into a podium at Silverstone before adding a strong fourth place. Meanwhile, Patrick Heuzenroeder capitalised on dramas in the reverse-grid finale to claim second place for Xcel Motorsport, a result that adds further intrigue to the title battle. The Australian will be buoyed by the fact that Zandvoort marked his GB3 debut in 2023, where he also stood on the podium.

A field full of potential

Adding to Australia’s momentum, Alex Ninovic also impressed for Rodin, with top-five finishes in both of the opening races. Spaniard Lucas Fluxa, competing with Argenti in partnership with Prema, matched Ninovic on points after showing steady progress through the Silverstone weekend. In addition, Abbi Pulling, reigning F1 Academy champion, wasted no time proving she belongs in GB3. The Rodin driver banked fifth and sixth in her first two races and returns to Zandvoort as a proven race winner at the venue.

Despite inconsistent fortunes, Will Macintyre still delivered his fourth career GB3 win in the Silverstone finale. Likewise, Kai Daryanani achieved his first GB3 podium for JHR Developments, underlining his growing speed with two top-eight qualifying results. Keanu Al Azhari, representing Hitech TGR and the Alpine F1 junior programme, looked set for a podium in race three until a penalty denied him. Nonetheless, his pace ensures he remains one to watch.

Also for Hitech TGR, Deagen Fairclough endured a tough opener but salvaged the weekend with a heroic charge from 25th to seventh in race three. The reigning British F4 champion, who twice won at Zandvoort last season, arrives determined to convert his raw pace into results. Pre-season form suggests the Brit will not remain on the fringes for long.

Mercedes junior Yuanpu Cui scored a top-10 on his GB3 debut with Argenti with Prema, placing him just ahead of teammate Reza Seewooruthun. Both will continue their transition from British F4 this weekend. Jack Sherwood also joins from F4 with Xcel Motorsport, already taking a best finish of ninth. Alongside him, German driver Hugo Schwarze returns for another year with VRD Racing.

International variety expands the grid

The Zandvoort line-up also features Indian talent Divy Nandan, who switches to JHR for this round, and Filipino-Australian Flynn Jackes with Elite. Bulgaria’s Stefan Bostandjiev continues with Fortec, while Filipino star Bianca Bustamante adds further diversity to Elite Motorsport’s line-up.

Weekend format at Zandvoort

The Dutch round begins with a 90-minute test session on Thursday at 15:00 local time. On Friday, drivers will tackle three half-hour free practice sessions before Saturday’s two-part qualifying at 10:20 and 10:40. Race one follows later that day at 16:25, while races two and three, including the top-12 reverse grid, take place at 11:10 and 16:15 on Sunday. Every race will be streamed live.