John Bennett will head into the final weekend of the 2024 GB3 Championship season in contention for the drivers' title after claiming his ninth podium of the year at Donington Park this past weekend (07/08 September).
The Salisbury-based single-seater star headed to the East Midlands circuit off the back of a mightily successful event at Silverstone in late July, scoring his third win of the campaign and moving up to second in the Drivers' Championship standings with six races remaining.
It set up a pivotal weekend at the 2.49-mile Donington Park GP circuit, a place Bennett has fond memories of from his previous seasons in Ginetta and GB3 competition. After two productive days of testing, the JHR Developments driver ventured into qualifying on Saturday morning looking for a place up the sharp end of the grid for the weekend's three races.
Changeable weather conditions throughout the day made it tricky to predict, particularly in the 20-minute timed session. Bennett was consistently in the running for pole position, but was one of many drivers denied an extra hot lap by a red flag stopping the session with less than three minutes remaining - limiting him to a still strong fourth place.
Starting from the second row for the opening race later that afternoon, slick tyres were the order as a dry line emerged. Bennett showed his intentions immediately as he gave chase to third-placed Gerard Xie, looking for a gap to send his JHR machine through. Try as he might he had to follow his rival home, however an off-track moment for fellow title contender Tymek Kucharczyk on the final lap promoted him into the top three.
Bennett started race two on Sunday from sixth, based on second-fastest times in qualifying. Wet tyres were required on this occasion and during a battling opening lap, Bennett was squeezed out at the Melbourne Hairpin in a three-wide attack and dropped to seventh place - where he would ultimately take the chequered flag in a close-fought race.
The partially-reversed grid for race three stuck Bennett in a starting position of ninth, and what followed was an almighty charge from the youngster. Bennett moved up two places in the opening lap as he kept his nose clean, and that was soon sixth as he continued to pick off cars. Chasing the close pack ahead, he was promoted to a brilliant fourth place by the race's end after time penalties for two drivers ahead of him.
It rounded out another strong weekend in terms of the points haul for Bennett, who heads into the final round of the season sitting second in the Drivers' Championship and within striking distance of his main rival Louis Sharp with three races remaining.
John Bennett: “Another strong weekend in terms of points, so that keeps us right in the mix for the title which is the most important thing.
"We were a bit unlucky, and again it all comes back to qualifying really as we didn't get the chance to put our second competitive lap in when the red flags came out. We paid the price, but by race three our race pace was really strong and I think that was the best we could do in the circumstances.
"Now we can look to Brands Hatch. The number one goal is to dominate that final weekend and I will be heading there with absolute determination."
The 2024 GB3 Championship season finale takes place on the historic Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit over the weekend of 28/29 September.
Image from Jakob Ebrey Photography.
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