Much Wenlock racer targets first GB4 podium after showing front-running testing pace
Torrin Byrne from Much Wenlock races for Pace Performance.
Shropshire racer Torrin Byrne will be aiming to turn his encouraging mid-season testing pace into a first podium finish in the GB4 Championship this weekend.
The Much Wenlock teenager heads to Donington Park in Leicestershire for round three of the UK-based single-seater series, which is billed as a championship for aspiring Formula One drivers.
Byrne, who races for Shropshire-based team Pace Performance, endured a frustrating start to the season at Silverstone. However, he was recently among the quickest drivers during mid-season testing at Snetterton, giving him confidence heading into this weekend's racing.
In the opening round at Silverstone, Byrne qualified 13th before recovering to finish ninth in the first race. He then suffered a DNF in race two after a crash at the iconic Maggots and Becketts sequence. In race three, Byrne finished 11th after taking avoiding action during an incident, which dropped him four places despite a strong recovery drive.
At round two at Oulton Park last month, Byrne climbed two positions in each of the opening two races to finish fifth and eighth respectively, before recording another eighth-place finish in the reverse-grid contest.
Mid-season testing took place at Snetterton earlier this month, where the Much Wenlock racer was among the pace-setters.
Byrne posted the fourth and eighth quickest times across the two days of testing, heading to Donington this weekend with hopes of challenging near the front of the field.
The teenager sits 10th in the drivers' standings, with 65 points from the opening two rounds. He is currently the highest placed Pace Performance driver.
This weekend marks the first of two visits to Donington Park this season. The GB4 Championship will return to the circuit in September for the penultimate round of the campaign, with seven rounds scheduled in total.
Each race weekend features a qualifying session and three races.
The series is marketed as a proving ground for young drivers pursuing a career in Formula One, with the cars designed to provide experience of machinery similar in style and performance.
A total of £54,000 in prize money is on offer, with the GB4 champion receiving a £50,000 contribution towards a GB3 programme in 2027.
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