Elite Motorsport’s Fred Green set the benchmark on the opening day of 2026 GB4 testing at Silverstone, as drivers prepared for this weekend’s season opener at the Grand Prix circuit.
The McLaren-affiliated Brit recorded a 2m01.239s lap to top the combined times, finishing just over a tenth of a second clear of the field. As a result, Green heads into the race weekend as one of the early pace-setters.
However, although Green led the way, the chasing pack remained tightly grouped throughout the day. Alex O’Grady secured second position for KMR Sport, just 0.113 seconds adrift. Meanwhile, Hillspeed’s Enzo Hallman completed the top three, only 0.034 seconds further back. Consequently, the leading trio were separated by less than two tenths, setting the tone for a highly competitive weekend ahead.
Session pace setters show strong form
Several drivers demonstrated strong pace across the individual sessions. Thomas Ingram Hill led the opening session and finished fourth overall, maintaining his strong Silverstone form.
In addition, Luke Hilton topped session two for Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing and secured fifth overall, just 0.036 seconds behind Ingram Hill.
Dayton Coulthard also impressed as the leading Douglas Motorsport driver in sixth, finishing just over a quarter of a second away from the fastest time. Therefore, multiple teams appear well positioned heading into qualifying.
Depth of field evident across top 10
The competition extended well beyond the front runners. Charlie Smith, running an additional Elite Motorsport entry, placed seventh and reinforced the team’s strong overall performance.
Behind him, Jason Smyth finished eighth for Douglas Motorsport, while Payton Westcott impressed in ninth for Scorpio Motorsport. Although she will not compete this weekend, the F1 Academy driver adapted quickly to the machinery.
Torrin Byrne rounded out the top ten for Pace Performance. Notably, the top ten were covered by just 0.845 seconds, while the top 13 drivers fell within a single second.
2026 GB4 Silverstone Thursday Testing top 10 (combined)
- Fred Green (Elite Motorsport) – 2m01.239s
- Alex O’Grady (KMR Sport) +0.113s
- Enzo Hallman (Hillspeed) +0.147s
- Thomas Ingram Hill (Fortec Motorsports) +0.179s
- Luke Hilton (Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing) +0.215s
- Dayton Coulthard (Douglas Motorsport) +0.259s
- Charlie Smith (Elite Motorsport) +0.361s*
- Jason Smyth (Douglas Motorsport) +0.602s
- Payton Westcott (Scorpio Motorsport) +0.841s*
- Torrin Byrne (Pace Performance) +0.845s
Not entered for this weekend
Focus shifts to final preparations
With 31 drivers taking part in Thursday’s running, including the 29 confirmed race entrants, the first day of testing offered a valuable insight into the competitive order ahead of the opening round.
Testing resumes on Friday with two further sessions, giving teams one last opportunity to refine their setups. Consequently, while Green leads for now, the tight margins suggest that several drivers remain firmly in contention as the 2026 GB4 season prepares to begin.
