Hillspeed enjoy great start to GB4 season at Donington Park
Hillspeed enjoyed an excellent start to the GB4 Championship partnered by the BRDC season at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit over the weekend with Daniel Guinchard taking the early points lead – as well as a podium finish in round one – and team-mate Leandro Juncos almost grabbing silverware of his own in round three.
Embarking on their respective GB4 debuts at the Leicestershire track, the team-mates impressed with Guinchard – competing in his first car race for 18 months – starring by climbing from fourth on the grid to second in round one.
Adding fifth in round two on Sunday, he then claimed fourth position in round three to depart Donington at the top of the Drivers’ Championship.
Juncos got his first full season of single-seater racing underway brilliantly after qualifying fifth and then finishing fourth in race one, fourth again in race two – from sixth on the grid – and he was on course for the podium in round three.
While challenging for second with just over a lap to go though, unfortunate contact dropped him to 14th place. Nonetheless, Juncos ends the event seventh in the points.
Markham Vale’s Hillspeed marked its return to GB4 for the first time since 2022 very impressively overall, with strong qualifying pace and even better race pace from both cars and drivers.
The squad ends the season curtain-raiser second in the Team Standings – great going with one seat still vacant.
Guinchard said: “I can’t believe how well it’s gone this weekend, fantastic to be on the podium in my first race in 18 months and to be so close in all the races.
"I’m really happy with some of the moves I made in the races too, some really good overtakes, and it’s obviously incredible to be leading the championship.
"Being back racing is the most excited I’ve been for a long time, we’ve obviously had a lack of testing as a team pre-season but the Hillspeed guys have done a fantastic job – it’s been a great start.”
Juncos added: "Overall, it’s been a very positive weekend. I’m very happy for the team results, I think both me and Dan had very positive races. The car was mega quick, pretty much from the first practice we were very quick, we made some improvements on the car and all through the races I think we really showed we were up there with the fastest car – if not the fastest – all weekend.
"I’m very, very thankful for the car the team supplied and also for the effort the guys made between race two and race three, we had an unexpected engine change, so for the team to get that ready in a short amount of time was remarkable.”
Richard Ollerenshaw. Hillspeed Team Principal, said: “All in all it’s been an exceptional weekend. To be leaving Donington with Dan leading the Championship and to be second in the Team Championship, especially with only two cars out this weekend, is fantastic and shows the hard work we’ve been doing.
"Both Dan and Leandro have driven brilliantly, we were delighted to see Dan on the podium in his first race back after so long out of racing and Leandro showed what a great driver he is – race three was very unfortunate for him but he proved what he’s capable of.
"It’s been an excellent start to the season on our return to GB4 and we’ll hopefully have our third car out for the next round at Silverstone as well.”
Rounds four, five and six of the new GB4 Championship season will take place over the weekend 26th/27th April with the first of two visits to Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit.
There, Hillspeed will also begin the 2025 GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC campaign.