Nikita Bedrin and Lewis Wherrell reflected on their contrasting achievements after securing the final two pole positions of the 2026 GB3 Championship season at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Saturday morning.
VRD Racing’s Bedrin claimed his seventh pole position of the year during Q1, recording a 1:33.389 to finish 0.071 seconds ahead of Wherrell. The result also secured the championship leader the Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup and its £2,000 prize.
However, JHR Developments newcomer Wherrell responded in Q2, securing his maiden GB3 pole position with a 1:33.033. He finished just 0.030 seconds ahead of fellow debutant Fred Green, with the leading ten drivers separated by only 0.228 seconds.
Following the closely contested qualifying sessions, both drivers reflected on their performances and outlined their ambitions ahead of the final three races of the season.
Bedrin celebrates seventh pole and Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup
Bedrin expressed satisfaction after securing pole position for Race 1, particularly following a challenging build-up to qualifying. Although the championship leader had established the fastest overall lap during Friday practice, he acknowledged the pressure surrounding the season finale.
The Italian also believed he had the pace to challenge for a second pole during Q2, but revealed that traffic had compromised his efforts.
“It feels really good, to be honest. We had a very tricky few sessions this week and there has been quite a bit of pressure going into qualifying today, but, I just tried to enjoy it and to do my best and honestly, it paid off.
“I think also in Q2 we had very good speed, but we got impeded, which put us on the back foot, but I’m really looking forward to starting from pole today.
“It’s great to win the Pole Position Cup, I need to figure out how to put it in the bank account, because I haven’t done my previous positions yet. I keep forgetting! But for sure I’m going to spend it on something good.”
The result provides another achievement for Bedrin, who entered Barcelona knowing that a single pole position would be sufficient to secure the season-long award ahead of nearest rival Deagen Fairclough.
Bedrin determined to seal GB3 championship with a victory
Despite his substantial championship advantage, Bedrin has no intention of adopting a conservative approach during the opening race. The VRD Racing driver enters Saturday with an 89-point lead over Fairclough and can secure the Drivers’ Championship by finishing inside the top seven.
However, Bedrin made it clear that simply collecting enough points to clinch the title would not satisfy him. Having gone without a victory since July, he hopes to conclude the championship battle by returning to the top step of the podium.
“I’m as confident as it gets [about winning the championship]. The only way I want to do it is by winning. I don’t want to finish second and win the championship. So I’m gonna do everything in my power to finish on the top step today. That’s what I’ve been waiting for. To win the championship in first race and finish on the top step, it would mean everything to me.
“There are quite a few rookies around me, so hopefully that’s to my advantage. And honestly, I’m not so worried, I’ll just try to get a good start and then as long as I get a good start, I’m sorted, so it’s okay.”
Bedrin will share the front row with Wherrell, while fellow newcomers Kyuho Lee and Thomas Ingram Hill start immediately behind them. With several drivers making their first GB3 race appearances, the championship leader believes a strong getaway could prove decisive.
Wherrell celebrates maiden GB3 pole on debut weekend
While Bedrin focuses on securing the championship, Wherrell has already made a significant impression during his first GB3 weekend. The JHR Developments driver narrowly missed pole position in Q1 before producing an even stronger performance during the second session.
Wherrell credited his team for the progress made since Thursday’s opening test, explaining that consistent development had helped him extract the performance required to challenge the established competitors.
“It’s a really good start to the championship. I can’t thank everyone at JHR Developments enough for this opportunity in general. We’ve worked really hard from Thursday practice to now and have just been developing the car, developing everything really. And I put it all together and poled it!
“We also had quite good pace in testing, so this isn’t far away from where we were meant to really be, and I knew it was possible if we strung it all together.
“I’m here to win like everyone else, so we’ll try and get two wins if we can. We’ll see what happens, but I’ll just take it race by race.”
The British driver had already demonstrated encouraging pace during the practice sessions, finishing fourth in FP2 before claiming second and first across Saturday’s two qualifying sessions.
His performance also represents an encouraging return for JHR Developments, which placed both Wherrell and teammate Ingram Hill among the leading five during Q2.
Contrasting ambitions ahead of Barcelona season finale
Although Bedrin and Wherrell enter the opening race with different objectives, both have positioned themselves as leading contenders following Saturday’s qualifying performances.
Bedrin will start Race 1 from pole position, knowing that a top-seven finish would guarantee him the Drivers’ Championship. However, his determination to secure the title with a victory could create an intriguing battle with Wherrell, who has already demonstrated the pace to challenge him.
Meanwhile, Wherrell will start Race 2 from pole alongside Green, creating an all-debutant front row. The JHR driver has made his intentions clear, with victory his objective despite his limited experience in the championship.
The opening race is scheduled to begin at 15:00 CET on Saturday, 7 November, before the final two races take place on Sunday.
With the championship title, race victories and the Teams’ Championship still to be decided, Barcelona promises an eventful conclusion to the 2026 GB3 season.
