Fred Green, Alex O’Grady and Enzo Hallman emerged as the leading contenders after a closely fought GB4 Championship Qualifying session at Oulton Park. However, each driver left the extended 20-minute run with a very different view of how the session unfolded.
Green claimed pole position for Race 1 after delivering a late lap for Elite Motorsport. Meanwhile, O’Grady led much of the session for KMR Sport and secured pole for Race 2 through his second-fastest lap. Hallman, meanwhile, completed the top three after recovering from early technical trouble in his Hillspeed machine.
Importantly, the session featured several decisive interruptions. Yellow flags disrupted rhythm, traffic affected lap preparation, and the tight nature of Oulton Park placed an even greater emphasis on execution. As a result, the top three had to balance outright pace with timing, track position and pressure.
Moreover, the nature of Oulton Park made Qualifying particularly significant. With its narrow layout, fast commitment corners and limited overtaking opportunities, starting near the front gives drivers a major advantage. Therefore, Green’s Race 1 pole, O’Grady’s Race 2 pole and Hallman’s third-place result could all play a key role in shaping the weekend.
Green pleased with crucial Race 1 pole after strong 2026 GB4 Qualifying at Oulton Park
Green delivered his best lap when the pressure reached its highest point. The Elite Motorsport driver had spent much of the session chasing O’Grady, who had looked strong during the middle phase of Qualifying. However, Green continued to chip away at the deficit before producing the lap that secured Race 1 pole.
His effort came at a crucial moment. With only seconds left in the session, Green found enough time to move ahead and put himself in the best possible position for the opening race. Around a circuit such as Oulton Park, that track position could prove vital.
Green values track position at Oulton Park
Green immediately pointed to the importance of starting from pole at Oulton Park. The circuit’s narrow and technical layout often makes overtaking difficult, so a clean launch could allow him to manage the race from the front.
“Not too bad at all. Around a track like this it is really beneficial to be on pole with how tight and twisty it is. Hopefully I get a good start and then we should be okay to just manage the gap. It was quite a tricky session really with the yellow flags and, with what happened to Luke [Hilton] in round one, I was trying my hardest not to improve [my time] because that would have cost me a lot. It was tricky, I couldn’t improve in the middle part and then I had a few laps at the end to get it and fortunately I did. [It was] still a bit scruffy, so bits to tidy up, but I’m quite happy. [It is a] shame about pole for race two but it’s not bad.
However, although Green secured pole, he admitted the final minutes added pressure. He knew he had limited chances left, and that made execution even more important.
“I was a bit nervous at the end really [with the remaining time in the session], because I only had the two laps and I knew that was it. Not the best execution, but it was okay.
Green keeps championship focus measured
Green also refused to get carried away by his strong start to the campaign. Nevertheless, he recognised that converting pole positions into points could help him build early momentum.
“I haven’t really thought about the championship, it’s very early doors. Obviously, it’s a nice way to start and, if I can keep converting the pole positions, we should have plenty of points and hopefully build the gap.”
O’Grady frustrated despite Race 2 pole after 2026 GB4 Oulton Park Qualifying
O’Grady had every reason to take positives from Qualifying. He secured pole for Race 2 and placed himself on the front row for Race 1. However, the KMR Sport driver clearly felt that the session could have delivered more.
The Irishman showed front-running pace throughout Qualifying and appeared capable of claiming both poles. Yet traffic, execution and a costly moment at the chicane left him frustrated after the chequered flag. Although his second-fastest lap gave him Race 2 pole, he believed a stronger overall result had been possible.
“To be honest, I’m really disappointed. We were purple in every sector and the .4 I did at the start was really early on and there was a lot more time in it, so really disappointed. My pole for race two I got denied on the downshift into the chicane and lost a tenth and a half, so didn’t really execute that very well. I had lots of traffic too, so a real shame.”
However, O’Grady still accepted the value of pole for Race 2. Therefore, his focus quickly shifted towards converting that starting position into victory.
“To be on pole for race two is quite good. I’m just disappointed we didn’t get the double pole, but we can race from there and hopefully I can get off the line well and try to get the win.”
Hallman recovers from technical issue to secure third
Hallman faced one of the most disrupted sessions among the leading contenders. The Hillspeed driver suffered a steering wheel issue at the beginning of Qualifying, which left him stuck in sixth gear and forced him back to the pits.
That problem cost him valuable running at a key stage of the session. It also meant he missed the peak tyre window, which often provides the best opportunity to set a competitive lap. However, Hallman recovered strongly once the issue had been resolved.
Despite yellow flags continuing to interrupt the session, he found enough clear track late on to complete two important laps. Those efforts moved him up to third and kept him firmly in the leading group.
Reflecting on the session, he said, “I’m just happy to get the laps in. I had a steering wheel which died at the beginning, so I was stuck in sixth gear and had to come into the pits with a black screen, so I didn’t know my speed. I didn’t know anything; the pit limiter didn’t work, so [it was] completely dead. I came in, switched on a new steering wheel, came out [and there] were yellow flags everywhere, and I couldn’t get a lap in. I think I was P13 for nearly the whole session, and then I got lucky [that] the yellow flag clears.
“I got two laps in the end which put me P3. I couldn’t have gone faster as I missed the peak of the tyres, but one tenth off pace is still good and we are really strong for the race.
Hallman sees pole pace despite setback
Despite the difficult Qualifying session, Hallman believes he had the pace to challenge for pole. However, the early technical issue and lost tyre performance limited his final result.
“I think we had the pace to get on pole, just a bit unlucky with the steering wheel and that stuff. I’m looking forward to the races.”
Hallman’s recovery showed composure under pressure. Rather than allowing the early issue to define his session, he maximised the limited opportunity he had at the end. As a result, he secured a strong starting position despite losing rhythm and tyre performance.
Fine margins shape the Oulton Park Qualifying story
The reactions from the top three highlighted the fine margins that defined Qualifying. Green celebrated a late pole but admitted his execution had not been perfect. O’Grady claimed Race 2 pole but left frustrated after missing out on a potential double pole. Hallman, meanwhile, salvaged third after a technical setback threatened to ruin his session.
Together, their comments painted a clear picture of a demanding Qualifying run. Yellow flags broke up momentum, traffic complicated lap preparation, and small mistakes carried major consequences. Therefore, the final order reflected not only outright speed but also timing and resilience.
