Matan Achituv will make his GB3 Championship debut with Arden Motorsport at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on 7–8 November, 2026, stepping up from GB4 following an encouraging first season in European single-seater racing. The 16-year-old Israeli driver will join the British outfit for the final round of the 2026 championship, expanding Arden’s entry to two cars.
Achituv completed his maiden GB4 campaign with Elite Motorsport, securing two podium finishes and establishing himself as a consistent points scorer. His performances included second place at Silverstone and another runner-up finish during the season finale at Brands Hatch, where he challenged Arden Motorsport’s Michael Koh for victory.
Having finished 10th in the GB4 Drivers’ Championship, Achituv will now compete in more powerful machinery as he continues his progression through the junior single-seater categories. The Barcelona appearance represents his first competitive outing above Formula 4 level and provides an opportunity to gain experience against established GB3 competitors.
Achituv earns GB3 opportunity following promising rookie season
Achituv’s promotion follows a competitive 2026 GB4 campaign in which he demonstrated consistency and an ability to recover from difficult circumstances. Racing with Elite Motorsport, the Israeli recorded ten top-ten finishes and suffered just two retirements, completing the majority of his first European championship campaign.
His first major breakthrough came at Silverstone, where he secured second place despite encountering technical difficulties throughout the weekend. Having experienced problems during qualifying, Achituv gradually improved as the event progressed before delivering his strongest performance in the final race.
The result marked his maiden GB4 podium and demonstrated his ability to compete against drivers with greater experience on British circuits. His recovery drive at Silverstone also highlighted the progress he had made since arriving in European single-seater racing, particularly in adapting to unfamiliar tracks and recovering from setbacks.
Although he was unable to maintain podium-winning form throughout the entire season, Achituv regularly challenged for points and continued developing his understanding of the category. His consistency ultimately helped him finish 10th in the Drivers’ Championship with 216 points, providing a foundation for his promotion to GB3.
Brands Hatch podium provides strong conclusion to GB4 campaign
Achituv’s second podium came during the final race of the 2026 GB4 season at Brands Hatch, where he produced one of his strongest performances of the year.
Starting near the front of the reversed-grid contest, the Elite Motorsport driver challenged Arden’s Koh throughout the 14-lap race. With light rain threatening to complicate conditions, Achituv remained close to the leader while also defending against Hillspeed’s Connor Willis.
Despite applying pressure throughout the closing stages, he could not find a way past Koh, who secured his maiden GB4 victory. Achituv crossed the line just 0.634 seconds behind, claiming second place and completing his season with another podium finish.
The closely contested Brands Hatch finale proved particularly significant given Achituv’s subsequent move to Arden Motorsport. Having challenged one of the team’s drivers for victory in GB4, he will now represent the same organisation as he progresses into GB3.
His performance also contributed to Elite Motorsport’s successful Teams’ Championship campaign. The squad secured a second consecutive title after overcoming an early points setback, with Achituv’s consistent results providing valuable support alongside the achievements of teammates Fred Green and Emmilio Valentino Del Grosso.
Although Achituv finished outside the championship’s leading positions, his final podium demonstrated the competitiveness he had developed during his first European season.
Achituv welcomes opportunity to challenge himself in GB3
Achituv expressed his enthusiasm about making the move to GB3, acknowledging the significance of progressing into a faster category after completing his first full season of Formula 4-level competition.
The Israeli views the Barcelona finale as an opportunity to continue developing his skills while gaining experience against a competitive field. Although he recognises the challenges involved in adapting to new machinery, Achituv is determined to make the most of his first GB3 appearance.
“I’m really excited to be making my GB3 Championship debut at Barcelona. It’s a great opportunity to step up from GB4, challenge myself in a faster car and gain some valuable experience against a strong field of drivers.
“I know there’s going to be a lot to learn, but I’m looking forward to getting stuck in, making the most of the opportunity and finishing the season on a high.”
His comments reflect a focus on continued development rather than placing immediate expectations on his results. The transition will require Achituv to adapt to a more demanding technical package, with increased power and aerodynamic performance changing the way he approaches braking, cornering and race management.
The Barcelona weekend will also provide an opportunity to work with Arden’s engineering personnel in competitive conditions, establishing a foundation for his next stage of single-seater racing.
Rapid progression from karting to European single-seaters
Achituv’s GB3 debut represents another milestone in a relatively short racing career, having only begun karting in 2022.
Despite starting later than many drivers on the international single-seater ladder, he quickly established himself as a promising talent in Israel. His early achievements included finishing runner-up in the 2023 ROK Cup Junior Israel Karting Championship, demonstrating his competitiveness before moving into car racing.
In 2024, Achituv made six appearances in the Skip Barber Formula Race Series in the United States. The programme introduced him to single-seater machinery and provided an opportunity to develop his racecraft before committing to a more extensive championship campaign.
He continued racing in North America during 2025, finishing sixth in the YACademy Winter Series before competing in the USF Juniors Championship. Achituv established himself among the category’s promising rookies, gaining valuable experience against drivers already familiar with the American single-seater system.
His move into British racing came in 2026 when he joined Elite Motorsport for the GB4 Championship. The decision represented his first opportunity to compete regularly on European circuits, introducing new challenges as he adapted to unfamiliar venues and a different racing environment.
Having completed that campaign with two podium finishes and a top-ten championship result, Achituv will now continue his progression through the British single-seater ladder with Arden.
Horner confident Achituv can make strong impression
Arden Motorsport Team Principal Garry Horner welcomed Achituv’s arrival, highlighting the potential the Israeli demonstrated while competing against the team in GB4.
The British organisation will return to a two-car entry for the Barcelona finale, providing an additional opportunity to evaluate young talent as the 2026 championship draws to a close.
Horner believes Achituv’s performances during his rookie GB4 campaign indicate that he is capable of adapting successfully to the challenges of GB3.
“We’re very pleased to have signed Matan for the final GB3 round of the year at Barcelona, and to expand our line-up back up to two cars. Matan showed lots of promise racing against us in GB4 this year, and we’re sure he will make a strong impression during his GB3 debut with us in a couple of weeks’ time.”
His comments underline Arden’s confidence in Achituv’s potential, particularly following the driver’s strong performance against Koh at Brands Hatch.
The team has experience developing young competitors across several junior single-seater categories, providing an established environment for drivers progressing towards higher levels of international motorsport.
For Achituv, joining Arden will introduce a new working relationship alongside the challenge of adapting to unfamiliar machinery. Nevertheless, his previous experience competing against the team’s GB4 drivers should provide some familiarity with the organisation ahead of the Barcelona weekend.
Barcelona provides demanding introduction to GB3 machinery
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will host the final round of the 2026 GB3 Championship, providing Achituv with a challenging venue for his first appearance in the category.
GB3 uses the Tatuus MSV GB3-025, introduced in 2025, which offers greater aerodynamic performance and power than the machinery used in GB4. The transition therefore represents a considerable step in the development of young drivers progressing towards FIA Formula 3.
Barcelona’s combination of high-speed corners, technical braking zones and demanding tyre management will provide opportunities for Achituv to develop his understanding of the car. However, with limited running available before qualifying, he will need to adapt quickly while competing against drivers who have spent the season racing in the championship.
The event will also take place during a closely contested title battle. VRD Racing’s Nikita Bedrin leads the Drivers’ Championship heading into the finale, while Deagen Fairclough, Martin Molnar and Lucas Fluxá remain mathematically capable of challenging him.
The championship standings following Brands Hatch reflect the competitiveness of the leading contenders, with only five points separating Fairclough, Fluxá and Molnar in the battle behind Bedrin.
Achituv will therefore enter a highly competitive environment, with several experienced GB3 drivers aiming to conclude their campaigns with victories and strong championship results.
Arden expands GB3 line-up as Achituv takes next career step
Achituv’s arrival will expand Arden Motorsport’s entry to two cars for the Barcelona finale, providing the team with an opportunity to strengthen its presence during the final event of the season.
The announcement adds to the growing number of drivers using the championship’s closing round to gain experience ahead of potential future campaigns. Among them is fellow GB4 graduate Fred Green, who will make his GB3 debut with Elite Motorsport, having finished runner-up in the 2026 championship.
For Achituv, the opportunity follows a year of considerable development. His two podium finishes in GB4, combined with consistent race finishes, have demonstrated his ability to adapt to European single-seater competition after beginning his career in North America.
Although Barcelona will present a different challenge, his progression through karting, the Skip Barber Formula Race Series, USF Juniors and GB4 has provided experience across several forms of junior racing.
The immediate objective will be to familiarise himself with the GB3 machinery and establish a productive relationship with Arden Motorsport while competing against a strong field.
Having concluded his first European season with a podium at Brands Hatch, Achituv will now aim to carry that momentum into Barcelona as he begins the next stage of his single-seater career.
