Hillspeed Racing has confirmed its third and final driver for the 2026 GB3 Championship season, with Peter Bouzinelos joining the team for his maiden year in the competitive UK-based series. Bouzinelos, an Australian talent, is returning to the single-seater racing scene after a year-long hiatus caused by a serious accident in his homeland. The 17-year-old will push forward with his motorsport career, eager to make his mark in GB3 after overcoming a series of significant challenges.
A road to recovery and return to racing for Bouzinelos as he steps up to GB3 with Hillspeed in 2026
Peter Bouzinelos’ journey back to racing has been a long and difficult one. The young Australian was preparing for his step-up from Formula 4 to GB3 last season when a traffic collision, where his bicycle was hit by a car, resulted in a series of major injuries. Despite the setback, Bouzinelos has demonstrated immense resilience in recovering and is now more determined than ever to compete at the F3 level in the UK and Europe.
“I’m looking forward to continuing my career and to working together with Hillspeed in GB3,” Bouzinelos said. “After a year out of racing, I’m keen to keep an upward trajectory and to step-up to racing faster cars with more downforce. I’m confident in challenging for podiums and wins as the season progresses, and working with my team-mates and all the guys at the team for a successful year.”
Bouzinelos started his motorsport career in karting almost a decade ago, where he quickly established himself as one of the top talents in Australia. He finished as Vice-Champion in the 2018 Australian Cadet Karting Championship, and in 2022, he was runner-up in the Australian KA2 Karting Championship. Additionally, Bouzinelos has represented Australia at the Motorsport Games in karting and competed internationally in the WSK Euro Series and WSK Open Cup.
A promising career in single-seaters
Bouzinelos made the transition to single-seater racing in 2023, debuting in the Australian Formula Open and Formula 4 South East Asia, where he showed impressive performances. He won the AF04 class in the former and earned podium finishes in the latter, with an exceptional outright podium in the final race at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
His first full season in single-seaters came in 2024, where he secured a pole position in the Formula Winter Series and competed in several races in F4 UAE. Bouzinelos’ main focus in 2024 was the F4 Spanish Championship, where he impressed with a fourth-place finish overall and a rookie-class podium.
Bouzinelos was to transition to the GB3 Championship in the 2025 season, but his recovery from injury delayed his progression. However, after an extensive break from competitive racing, the Snetterton pre-season testing sessions in early 2026 marked his first time back behind the wheel of a race car in a competitive setting since the end of 2024.
Hillspeed confident in Bouzinelos ahead of 2026 GB3 campaign
Hillspeed’s Team Principal, Richard Ollerenshaw, expressed his enthusiasm for signing Bouzinelos for the 2026 GB3 season. The team is particularly excited about seeing Bouzinelos back in a single-seater after his challenging 2025, and they are confident that he will quickly regain his pace and competitiveness.
“It’s fantastic to have signed Peter for his maiden GB3 season this year, and we’re especially delighted to see him back in a single-seater where he belongs after such a tough 2025 battling back from injury,” said Ollerenshaw. “He clearly showed his promise and ability in F4, and while he has had well over a year on the sidelines, we’re confident we can help Peter make up for lost time as we move through the season.”
Ollerenshaw also acknowledged the challenges that come with stepping up to GB3, especially with the introduction of the revised 2026 car, which is closer in specifications to the FIA Formula 3 level. However, he believes that Bouzinelos’ natural speed and talent will help him adapt quickly and deliver strong performances as the season progresses.
“The step-up into GB3 is big, particularly with the revised 2026 car which is very close to FIA F3 level, but we’re confident Peter is going to make big strides and show his natural speed and competitiveness,” Ollerenshaw continued. “We really are looking forward to the new season with our fantastic three-driver line-up, and we’re sure Peter and his new team-mates Dante [Vinci] and Aurelia [Nobels] will work very well together indeed.”
The 2026 GB3 season ahead
With Bouzinelos confirmed as part of the Hillspeed Racing team, the 2026 GB3 Championship season is set to be a highly competitive one. Bouzinelos’ drive to succeed, combined with his previous experience in Formula 4 and karting, means that he will be one of the exciting rookies to watch in the upcoming campaign. Hillspeed’s strong driver line-up, including Dante Vinci and Aurelia Nobels, will be aiming for podium finishes and challenging for the top spots throughout the season.
The first round of the 2026 GB3 Championship will begin in April, with the season promising plenty of action and an intense battle at the front of the field.
