Ninovic grabs GB3 points lead at Spa as Slater storms from last to first in finale

Rodin Motorsport’s new GB3 Championship leader Alex Ninovic was one of three different race winners during the series’ traditional visit to Spa-Francorchamps last weekend. Proceedings concluded in stunning style as Hillspeed’s returning Freddie Slater went from last on the grid to victory in race three.

Ninovic won the opener from pole, secured in a disrupted first qualifying in which Slater stopped on circuit early on, while the session ended four minutes early after Hitech’s Deagen Fairclough was involved in a three-car collision at the Bus Stop. With both Slater and Fairclough not setting a representative time, and unable to take part in second qualifying, both had to start each race from 23rd and 22nd respectively on the grid.

Ninovic’s race one victory ensured he took over the lead of the standings, despite two safety car periods. VRD Racing’s Hugo Schwarze started second and finished there, but only after withstanding a final-lap assault from Elite’s Will Macintyre, who ultimately dropped to fifth behind Hillspeed’s Kanato Le and JHR’s Noah Lisle. Rodin’s Gianmarco Pradel was sixth, with pre-event championship leader Patrick Heuzenroeder behind for Xcel Motorsport.

From their lowly starting positions, Fairclough and Slater rose to ninth and 10th respectively, and finished as part of a pack of four cars separated by just 0.145 seconds, though Fairclough was relegated to 19th after picking up a 5s penalty post-race.

Le was fastest in Q2 and started from pole. The Japanese driver won, but only after recovering from a slow start, which dropped him as low as fifth heading to La Source. Ninovic led from Hillspeed’s Hiyu Yamakoshi early on, but Le fought back up to third on the first lap and dispatched his team-mate moments later. Le moved for the lead with DRS assistance on lap four up the Kemmel Straight, and established a small gap.

Hitech’s Nikita Johnson fought to second having started sixth following a grid penalty, while Ninovic’s ideal weekend continued with third place ahead of Keanu Al Azhari (Hitech), Yamakoshi and Macintyre. Slater found his way to eighth this time and Fairclough to 11th, but Slater’s masterpiece was to come on Sunday.

After two dry contests, the top-12 reversed-grid finale was held on a drying track. Five cars, including Slater, opted to start on slicks, while several pitted to remove wets after either the initial reconnaissance lap, or at the end of the green-flag lap.

It immediately became clear that slicks were the tyres to be on, as Slater went from 23rd to 16th on the first lap. By lap six, the Briton was seventh and, with leader Al Azhari on fading wets backing up a train of cars on similar tyres, Slater pounced and passed all six drivers ahead inside the first two sectors.

With just under half the race still remaining, Slater pulled out an 8s margin, with Le completing a Hillspeed 1-2 from 12th on the grid with a last-lap move on Argenti with Prema’s Reza Seewooruthun, who claimed a first podium. All three were among the slick quintet at the start. Heuzenroeder, Fairclough and Dion Gowda (Xcel) all pitted for slicks and were rewarded with top-six finishes.

Ninovic failed to finish race three, losing a wheel at Blanchimont after pitting, but holds an eight-point lead at the top of the standings, while despite his various misfortunes, Fairclough has climbed to third. The series’ next event is at the Hungaroring in July.