Nikita Bedrin continued his impressive start to the 2026 GB3 Championship season at Spa-Francorchamps as he claimed his third pole from four Qualifying sessions.
The VRD Racing driver delivered a dominant performance in the second part of Qualifying, setting a 2:11.911 to secure pole for Race 2 by 0.472s. In the process, he demolished the series’ previous Qualifying benchmark at the Belgian circuit, going almost two seconds quicker than the former record.
After taking third in Qualifying 1, Bedrin responded emphatically in Qualifying 2. The championship leader set his fastest lap with time still remaining, then returned to the pits and climbed out of the car with four minutes left in the session.
Bedrin reflects on strong Qualifying return
Bedrin had narrowly missed out on pole for Race 1, as Rodin Motorsport’s Abbi Pulling claimed the top spot ahead of Maxim Rehm. However, the Italian still secured third on the grid, putting himself firmly in contention for the opening race of the weekend.
He then produced the decisive lap in Qualifying 2, securing another front-row advantage and strengthening his position as the early benchmark of the 2026 season.
“It was a pretty good session,” he said to GB3. “I think we could have had both poles today but nevertheless, I think P3 and P1 is a really good place to start in Spa.”
That confidence showed throughout the second session. Bedrin’s 2:11.911 placed him comfortably clear of the rest of the field, while Rehm led Rodin’s response in second.
Bedrin praises VRD Racing after record Spa Qualifying lap
Bedrin’s gap to Rehm stood at 0.472s, giving him a commanding Race 2 pole. Rehm, meanwhile, edged teammate Pulling by just 0.017s, as Rodin Motorsport again placed two cars inside the top three.
After improving from third in Qualifying 1 to pole in Qualifying 2, Bedrin credited both his own rhythm and VRD Racing’s continued progress.
“I’m just really happy that we have the pace once again,” he said. “We’ve been on it since the first session here, and the team is doing a really, really good job.”
The result continued VRD Racing’s strong start to the campaign. The American team began the Spa weekend 23 points clear of Rodin Motorsport at the top of the teams’ standings, having made a clear step forward compared with 2025.
VRD Racing continue major 2026 step
VRD Racing finished eighth in the teams’ standings last season, scoring two wins across the campaign through Hugo Schwarze and Enzo Tarvanichkul. However, the team has already matched that victory total after just one round in 2026.
Bedrin delivered both of those wins at the Silverstone season opener, giving VRD early momentum before the championship moved to Spa. Therefore, his record-breaking Qualifying performance further reinforced the team’s improved form.
“We are working together and we are showing really big progress from last year,” said Bedrin. “I’m really happy with how it’s going and hopefully we can keep the momentum into the races.”
That momentum now gives Bedrin another opportunity to extend his championship advantage. However, Spa’s layout rarely makes race control straightforward, even from pole.
Bedrin expects a difficult fight from pole
Spa produced thrilling GB3 racing last season, and the 2026 Tatuus MSV GB3-025 package could make the racing even more dynamic this weekend. With DRS and slipstream playing a major role on the long straights, Bedrin expects pressure from behind despite starting at the front.
“I think P1 is never ideal,” he admitted. “The strategy is to end up on top, of course, and it will be really tricky, considering the different setups everybody is running. I’ll make sure I do my best part of it.”
Although Bedrin holds the best starting position for Race 2, he will need to manage the slipstream threat carefully. Spa’s long run through Eau Rouge, Raidillon and along the Kemmel Straight often gives chasing drivers a chance to attack, especially in the opening laps.
Nevertheless, Bedrin heads into Race 2 with clear speed, strong momentum and another landmark result already secured. Race 2 is scheduled to get underway at 15:55 CEST on Saturday.
