Frustrating weekend for 16-year-old Beauly racing driver Ollie Stewart at Silverstone in GB3 Championship
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After a six-week summer break, Ollie Stewart returned to GB3 Championship competition, as the series once again headed to Silverstone for rounds 13, 14 and 15 of the season.
The Scottish racer was confident heading into last weekend after the Elite Motorsport machine showed decent pace during free practice on Friday. With qualifying up next on Saturday morning, Stewart carried over the quick pace, eventually qualifying in ninth for race one.
With dirty air around around the 3.7 mile circuit a challenge for the young racers, overtaking was at a premium. Stewart pushed hard throughout the race and was battling with James Hedley, keeping up despite being on used tyres. The youngster crossed the line in 11th.
With the grid for race two set by the driver's second fastest qualifying time, Stewart lined up eighth for this contest. Unfortunately, the 16-year-old was caught up in an incident at the first corner and was unable to finish the race.
With weather conditions deteriorating through the afternoon, the 23-strong grid undertook a handful of formation laps behind the safety car for the reversed grid race three, before the race was red flagged and eventually cancelled.
Despite some bad luck, it is clear Stewart and the team at Elite Motorsport have been working hard throughout the summer break to make forward progress.
There is now a five-week break for the GB3 Championship, before racing resumes in Brands Hatch over the weekend of September 9/10.
“I was looking forward to qualifying as after free practice on Friday I knew we had the pace to put a lap together," Stewart said.
"When I went out for qualifying, I instantly knew I had the car underneath me and it felt very good. I was confident in my ability and I knew I had the capabilities to put it right at the front.
"We were fast in sector one; sector two wasn't as good as I made a small mistake on my lap, which cost me three 10ths but sector three was better. In general, I felt very confident with our ability and eighth and ninth is our best qualifying so far, which made me confident for the future.
“I had a difficult start to race one. We changed the clutch on my car for this weekend and race one was my first proper start on this clutch. After we got off the line it was just a case of trying to get past the drivers in front because I knew I had the pace to be faster than them. But unfortunately, I got caught up in dirty air which made it hard to get past them.
"I was pushing hard to get past [James] Hedley who was in front of me but every time I got close, I had bad understeer and lost the time I had gained. We also had the tyres we used for qualifying on the car.
“Race two was not the best. We had a really good start off the line but unfortunately, I went into the first corner and had contact with another driver. They hit my back wheel which forced me into the gravel. It is one of those things that happens in racing, but we focus on the positives."
"It's a shame race three was cancelled, but we need to take every precaution to be safe, so I understand why it happened. I'm looking forward to heading to Brands Hatch next time out."
