GB3: Canadian F1600 Champion Nick Gilkes joins Hillspeed

16-year-old British-Canadian Nick Gilkes will race in GB3 this season with Hillspeed. The Formula F1600 Champion has impressed during his limited test runs with the car at Silverstone in November.

Gilkes, who has elite athlete status will live in the UK for the duration of the GB3 season and will be studying remotely inbetween racing and helping the team at their base in Derbyshire.

Nick Gilkes comes from a long line of family motorsport success with his big sister being Megan Gilkes, a winner in the all-female W Series. His father, Brent, having previously raced Formula Ford cars in the 1980’s aswell as his paternal grandparents who raced Special Saloons, Speed Trials and Hillclimb events in the sixties.

Nick Gilkes:
“I am thrilled to be graduating into GB3 with Hillspeed, especially after a whirlwind season this past year. I had dreams of winning in my first season in Canadian F1600, and felt a realistic goal was to score podiums, but to win 15 races in my rookie year was way more than I initially could have hoped for. At the end of the season, I came to England for the [Formula Ford] Festival and Walter Hayes and then had the opportunity to test with Hillspeed for the first time in GB3 at Silverstone.

“The test went very well and, with help from my family as well as long term sponsor Contest of Speed Sim Racing League, and new sponsor MIR Raceline USA, we’ve agreed a deal to race in GB3 in 2022 and now I can’t wait to get started in February.”

Richard Ollerenshaw – Hillspeed Team Principal:
“We are absolutely delighted Nick will be racing with us in GB3 this season; Hillspeed has a long history of working with and developing overseas drivers, and with considerable success over the years. From drivers like Ahmad Al Harthy, who has gone on to become a multiple champion in international GT racing, to more recent successes like Sasakorn ‘Cutter’ Chaimongkol in BRDC F3. We’re now looking forward to helping Nick realise his potential in GB3.”

The 2022 GB3 Season gets underway over the Easter weekend at Oulton Park from Saturday 16th – Monday 18th April.