Hitech’s Deagen Fairclough finally claimed a first GB3 victory as the 2025 season came to a close at the legendary Monza circuit last weekend.
As has been the case so often this year, it was Rodin Motorsport’s champion Alex Ninovic who laid down a marker in qualifying, taking a double pole position, his ninth and 10th of his title-winning campaign. The first was secured by four thousandths of a second from runner-up candidate Patrick Heuzenroeder (Xcel) in Q1, while his margin in Q2 was a couple of tenths to Noah Lisle (JHR).
The first race was red flagged on the opening lap after incidents at the first two chicanes eliminated four cars. Upon the restart, poleman Ninovic was unable to break away from the pack as the DRS-equipped cars behind kept him close.
It was only in the final two laps that he was able to pull ahead, eventually taking the flag 1.6 seconds clear as he scored his ninth win of the year, a GB3 season record.
Heuzenroeder was second to boost his runner-up aspirations, with Rodin’s Gianmarco Pradel and Fairclough third and fourth as they too eyed a runner-up charge. Hillspeed newcomers Newman Chi and Maxim Rehm completed the top six.
Reigning British Formula 4 champion Fairclough then won a thrilling second contest, which featured an epic battle for the lead between Ninovic, a quick starting Fairclough and Pradel.
Ninovic may have already wrapped up the title, but he was still at the heart of Monza’s GB3 action
Photo by: JEP
Fairclough and Ninovic went three abreast with Lisle on the run to the Rettifilo on lap one, with all three taking to the run off. Behind, there was further drama as Heuzenroeder was eliminated in a collision with Reza Seewooruthun and Chi.
That brought out the first of three early safety car appearances, and between them, there was more sensational action at the front as Fairclough looked to stamp his authority.
After the third caution, there was around eight minutes remaining, with Fairclough leading. Another late-braking battle resulted in Fairclough using the escape road and Ninovic cutting the corner, with Fairclough resuming in front but conceding the lead at Curva Grande. Pradel then demoted Fairclough further with a surge around the outside of the Parabolica.
However, a fired up Fairclough fought back magnificently moments later, passing Pradel at the Rettifilo, and Ninovic seconds afterwards at the Roggia. From there, he rebuffed yet more challenges to take victory by just 0.278s from Ninovic and Pradel.
Hitech’s Keanu Al Azhari marched from 20th to fourth ahead of Abbi Pulling and Kai Daryanani.
Rehm capitalised on reversed-grid pole to take victory in the final race of the season, but only after an early battle with Fairclough, who shot from ninth on the grid to second, while Pradel was third.
In a slipstreaming contest, Pulling was only just over a second away from the race winner after joining the fight late on, with Seewooruthun fifth after being promoted post race, following a penalty for Heuzenroeder. The Australian recovered from a challenging start to the race to deny Fairclough the runner-up spot in the standings by just three points.
Heuzenroeder (left) narrowly pipped Fairclough to runner-up in the standings behind Ninovic
Photo by: JEP
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– The Autosport.com Team
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