Alex O’Grady delivered a commanding performance to top both Friday testing sessions at the Silverstone Circuit, ending the final pre-event running in ideal fashion ahead of the 2024 GB4 season opener.
Under clear blue skies, the KMR Sport driver established himself as the pace-setter early in the day. He posted a 2m00.549s lap in the opening session, which ultimately stood as the fastest time across both sessions. Although he fell just under a tenth short of that benchmark later in the day, he still remained quickest in session two, underlining his consistency.
Crucially, O’Grady’s session one effort proved enough to edge out his nearest rival by just 0.024 seconds. Therefore, while he led the way, the narrow margin highlighted how competitive the field remains heading into Qualifying.
Moreover, his ability to maintain top spot across both sessions suggests strong balance and confidence in the car. As a result, O’Grady carries clear momentum into Saturday’s competitive running, where track position and execution will become increasingly important.
Smyth and Cegielski lead the chase
Behind the outright pace, Jason Smyth emerged as O’Grady’s closest challenger. The Douglas Motorsport driver finished just 0.024 seconds adrift, demonstrating strong pace and positioning himself firmly in contention for pole position.
Meanwhile, Franciszek Cegielski impressed as the leading rookie in third place. The Fortec Motorsport driver ended the day exactly half a tenth behind Smyth, marking a confident conclusion to testing and signalling his potential to challenge more experienced competitors.
In addition, Fred Green secured fourth position for Elite Motorsport. Having set the pace on Thursday, he remained competitive and was notably one of the few drivers to improve his time in the second session. This progression suggests that he could remain a factor when Qualifying begins.
Furthermore, the top four drivers were separated by less than two tenths of a second. Consequently, even marginal gains in performance could significantly reshape the order when it matters most.
Tight margins define the top 10 as Qualifying looms
The competitive nature of the field extended well beyond the top four. Luke Hilton secured fifth place for Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing, finishing just 0.032 seconds ahead of Thomas Ingram Hill in sixth.
Shortly after, Enzo Hallman led the Hillspeed challenge in seventh. Notably, the top seven drivers were covered by just over a quarter of a second, underlining how closely matched the leading group appears.
Further down, Charlie Smith placed eighth despite not being entered for the race weekend, while Payton Westcott led Scorpio Motorsport in ninth as another testing-only entrant.
Rounding out the top ten, Dayton Coulthard ensured Douglas Motorsport had a second car in the leading group. Importantly, less than eight tenths of a second covered the top ten, while the top twelve drivers remained within one second of O’Grady’s benchmark.
With testing now complete, attention turns to Qualifying, scheduled for Saturday morning. The session will play a crucial role in determining the competitive order for the opening race later in the day.
Given the tight margins observed throughout Friday, teams will focus on maximising tyre performance and executing clean laps at precisely the right moment. Track evolution and conditions could also influence the outcome, adding further unpredictability.
While O’Grady enters Qualifying as the driver to beat, Smyth, Cegielski and Green remain well within striking distance. Therefore, a highly competitive battle for pole position appears inevitable.
2026 GB4 Silverstone Friday Testing result (combined)
- Alex O’Grady (KMR Sport) – 2m00.549s
- Jason Smyth (Douglas Motorsport) +0.024s
- Franciszek Cegielski (Fortec Motorsport) +0.074s
- Fred Green (Elite Motorsport) +0.160s
- Luke Hilton (Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing) +0.208s
- Thomas Ingram Hill (Fortec Motorsport) +0.240s
- Enzo Hallman (Hillspeed) +0.254s
- Charlie Smith (Elite Motorsport) +0.590s*
- Payton Westcott (Scorpio Motorsport) +0.731s*
- Dayton Coulthard (Douglas Motorsport) +0.784s
- Conor Grant (Douglas Motorsport) +0.906s
- Emmilio Valentino Del Grosso (Elite Motorsport) +0.996s
- Connor Willis (Hillspeed) +1.058s
- Matan Achituv (Elite Motorsport) +1.147s
- Jordyn Martin (Fortec Motorsport) +1.164s
- Torrin Byrne (Pace Performance) +1.219s
- Lily May Watkins (KMR Sport) +1.332s
- Archie Davies (Scorpio Motorsport) +1.377s
- Charlie Myers (Arden Motorsport) +1.496s
- Romuald Bocquet (Scorpio Motorsport) +1.774s
- Holly Miall (KMR Sport) +1.944s
- Josh McLean (Pace Performance) +2.090s
- Demitri Nolan (Hillspeed) +2.141s
- Michael Koh (Arden Motorsport) +2.157s
- John O’Donnell (Pace Performance) +2.161s
- Caitlyn McDaniel (Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing) +2.427s
- Archie Bullard (Fox Motorsport) +2.648s
- Jasser Iskander (Fox Motorsport) +2.906s
- Jamie Leverton (Idola Motorsport) +3.012s
- Solenn Amrouche (Arden Motorsport) +3.478s
- Enzo Rujugiro (Fox Motorsport) +3.932s
As the GB4 field prepares for the opening race, Friday’s running has already set the tone. O’Grady leads the way, yet the tightly packed field ensures that the fight for pole—and victory—remains wide open.
