AKCEL GP will make its GB3 Championship debut at the 2026 Brands Hatch round this weekend, with Aditya Kulkarni returning to the series as the Snetterton-based operation takes the next step in its expanding single-seater programme.
The British-Indian driver will contest the penultimate round of the 2026 season on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit from 26–27 September. Kulkarni previously completed a full GB3 campaign with Hillspeed in 2024 before racing for AKCEL GP in the 2025 Formula Regional European Championship, giving the team an established driver relationship as it enters the category for the first time.
AKCEL GP and Kulkarni have already completed their first official GB3 running together, joining the field for the Brands Hatch test on 10 September. That day provided the team with an opportunity to begin learning the current-generation car and gather circuit-specific data before its competitive debut.
AKCEL GP takes next step in single-seater expansion
The move into GB3 adds another level to a programme that has already competed in Formula 4 Middle East and Formula Regional. AKCEL GP finished among the top two teams in the Formula 4 Middle East Rookie Championship standings, while its Formula Regional European Championship involvement provided further experience operating at a higher level of European single-seater competition.
GB3 now gives the team another platform on which to develop its technical and operational structure. The championship combines a strong domestic base with visits to several Formula 1 circuits, and the current season has included rounds at Spa-Francorchamps, the Hungaroring and Red Bull Ring alongside events in Britain. Brands Hatch represents the seventh of eight rounds before the campaign concludes at Barcelona in November.
Team owner Amit Kaushal sees the move as a continuation of the organisation’s development rather than an isolated appearance.
“Moving into GB3 is an important step for AKCEL GP and a natural progression of the programme we have been building over the past few seasons. Formula 4 Middle East and Formula Regional have given us valuable experience and a strong foundation. GB3 is the next chapter: an opportunity to build a professional environment in which drivers, engineers and the wider team can develop together. The level of competition is extremely high, and that is exactly the challenge we want as we begin this new chapter.”
Kulkarni returns after 2024 GB3 campaign
Kulkarni brings previous championship experience to AKCEL GP’s debut after contesting the full 2024 GB3 season with Hillspeed. He had stepped into the category following a successful first year in cars, when multiple GB4 podiums helped him finish fifth in the 2023 championship.
His first GB3 campaign was spent developing against a field that included eventual champion Louis Sharp, Tymek Kucharczyk, John Bennett and several other drivers who subsequently progressed further up the single-seater ladder. Kulkarni’s strongest race result came with 10th at Donington Park, while his racecraft was particularly evident in the reverse-grid contests: he accumulated 29 points for positions gained in Race 3 events, the highest total of any driver during the 2024 season.
Returning in 2026 also means adapting to a considerably different GB3 package from the one he previously raced. The Tatuus MSV GB3-025 was introduced in 2025 with a redesigned chassis, substantially increased downforce and DRS, while further updates for this season included engine, aerodynamic and chassis revisions.
Existing relationship gives team useful foundation
Kulkarni will not be starting from scratch with AKCEL GP despite the team itself being new to GB3. Their Formula Regional programme together in 2025 allowed the driver, engineers and wider operation to develop an established working relationship before the move into the British-based championship.
That familiarity should prove valuable during a weekend in which the team must simultaneously understand a new championship environment and extract performance from unfamiliar machinery. Kulkarni believes his previous GB3 experience and time with AKCEL GP should make that transition more manageable.
“I am looking forward to returning to GB3 with AKCEL GP. Having completed a full season in the championship, I know how competitive it is and how important it is to be prepared from the first session. Racing with AKCEL GP in Formula Regional has helped us build a good working relationship, and the Brands Hatch test was a useful step in understanding the car and the circuit together. The goal this weekend is to apply that experience, work closely as a team and make the most of the opportunity.”
Brands Hatch test provides first benchmark
AKCEL GP’s first official GB3 mileage came during the championship test earlier this month, when Kulkarni joined an established field already deep into the 2026 campaign. He finished 19th overall, 3.183 seconds away from the outright benchmark, but the primary objective was gaining experience with the car and establishing a technical baseline before the race weekend. Abbi Pulling ultimately topped the test with a record-breaking 1:16.593 for Rodin Motorsport.
The margins at the front highlighted the level AKCEL GP is entering. Pulling, championship leader Nikita Bedrin and Martin Molnar were separated by only 0.080s, while the top 10 finished within 0.814s. For a team completing its first day with the GB3 package, the session therefore provided an important opportunity to understand the benchmark before returning under competitive conditions.
A competitive grid awaits AKCEL GP
The Brands Hatch weekend will place AKCEL GP immediately against several of the championship’s established operations. VRD Racing, Rodin Motorsport and Hitech have all won races this season, while Xcel Motorsport, Elite Motorsport and the other regular teams have accumulated considerably more mileage with the current car.
The field has also grown for the penultimate event. Kanato Le returns to GB3 with Hitech, adding another experienced driver to an already competitive grid. The combination of established frontrunners and returning drivers means AKCEL GP’s first weekend will provide an immediate measure of where its developing programme stands.
Brands Hatch itself adds another layer of difficulty. The 3.916-kilometre Grand Prix circuit rewards commitment through its high-speed sections, while the narrow layout and significant elevation changes make mistakes particularly costly. Kulkarni at least enters with both previous race experience at the venue and the benefit of the recent test.
Debut begins longer-term GB3 development
AKCEL GP’s Brands Hatch appearance is significant less for immediate expectations than for what it represents within the team’s wider development. The organisation has steadily expanded from Formula 4 into Formula Regional machinery, and GB3 now creates another route for the team to build experience while providing opportunities for emerging drivers.
The championship itself has increasingly positioned itself as a bridge towards FIA Formula 3, making technical development, driver preparation and professional team infrastructure particularly important. For AKCEL GP, joining at Brands Hatch provides an opportunity to begin establishing those foundations before determining how the programme develops beyond its debut.
Kulkarni offers a useful reference for that first step. He already understands the championship, has raced at Brands Hatch and knows the team from their previous Formula Regional work together. The September test provided the first opportunity to combine those elements with the current GB3 car; this weekend will provide the first competitive measure.
With the championship entering its penultimate round and several established teams fighting at the front, AKCEL GP faces a demanding introduction. However, Brands Hatch marks the beginning of a new phase for the Snetterton-based operation as it adds GB3 to its growing international single-seater programme.
