2026 | GB3 | Snetterton Pre-Season Testing

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Maxim Rehm delivered the fastest lap of the GB3 Championship’s Snetterton pre-season test, setting a 1m37.958s in the final session for Rodin Motorsport. The effort marked the quickest unofficial lap by a single-seater around the Snetterton 300 layout in 15 years.

Rehm edged Deagen Fairclough by just 0.028 seconds after the Hitech Grand Prix driver had already demonstrated strong pace earlier in the week. Both drivers broke into the 1m37s during the decisive session at Snetterton Circuit, highlighting the rapid progress made during testing.

The German’s lap also represented the first time a single-seater had dipped into the 1m37 bracket at the circuit since a Formula Two test in 2011, underlining the impressive performance of the current machinery.

New GB3 car shows dramatic pace as Fairclough and Rehm excel in 2026 pre-season testing at Snetterton

Much of the pace came from the new Tatuus MSV GB3-025 car, introduced for the 2026 season. The updated machine benefits from revised aerodynamics and improved engine performance, both of which contributed to significantly faster lap times throughout the test.

Fairclough initially broke the 1m38 barrier in the final session before Rehm responded moments later with the session-topping time. The exchange illustrated how competitive the field could become once the season begins.

Tight battle behind the leaders

Behind the leading pair, Dante Vinci impressed for Hillspeed by securing third place. He improved from sixth on the previous day and finished 0.180 seconds behind the benchmark.

Rehm’s teammate Abbi Pulling placed fourth overall. The Rodin driver had earlier topped the morning running in session two before ultimately ending the day 0.425 seconds off the fastest time.

The Hitech line-up continued its strong showing as Noah Lisle completed the top five. He finished just 0.090 seconds ahead of the leading Elite Motorsport entry driven by Kyuho Lee in sixth.

Notably, all six drivers recorded their best laps during the final session of the day, emphasising the improving conditions and rapid pace of the cars.

The remainder of the top ten posted their quickest times during the morning session. Xcel Motorsport duo Cole Hewetson and Rowan Campbell-Pilling finished seventh and eighth respectively.

Martin Molnar placed ninth in the third Rodin entry and remained the final driver within one second of the overall pace. Edu Robinson rounded out the top ten for Elite Motorsport.

Remarkably, the top 18 cars all lapped faster than the existing Snetterton 300 circuit lap record, further highlighting the speed gains delivered by the new GB3 car.

Testing moves to Donington Park

Teams will not wait long before gathering further data. The championship’s next pre-season running will take place later this month at another classic British venue. Testing continues at Donington Park on 18/19 March, where official media activity for the championship will also take place. The sessions at Donington Park will offer teams another opportunity to refine their setups before the new GB3 campaign begins.