Rising star Tom Lebbon produced a fine display in the final rounds of the GB3 Championship presented by the BRDC season at Donington Park to secure a top three championship finish.
The We Finance Any Car-backed driver headed into the final round sitting fifth in the championship standings but was only 17.5 points away from the top three following a fine victory in the previous meeting at Brands Hatch.
Topping the times ahead of champion elect Luke Browning in Friday testing, Tom carried his front-running form into qualifying to put his Elite Motorsport-run car on the front row of the grid with a time just 0.050s away from pole.
Maintaining his position when the race kicked off, Tom would keep leader Callum Voisin in his sights throughout to cross the line in second spot but would then find himself demoted back to fourth when he was handed a five second penalty for exceeding track limits.
Keen to make amends in race two, which would be held in tricky conditions on a drying track, Tom once again started from second on the grid and once again held his position through the opening lap – this time behind a fast-starting Joels Granfors.
Getting ahead of his rival on lap three, Tom was able to control the race from the front to secure his fourth victory of the campaign and close right in on third placed Voisin in the points.
From 19th on the reverse grid final race, Tom managed to fight his way forwards to twelfth place and with Voisin forced to retire after an incident on the exit of the Melbourne hairpin, secured the points needed to end his second series in the series with third in the standings.
“Qualifying was a good start to the weekend and I was on for pole for most of the session, but then Voisin just pipped me at the end,” he said. “The aim from there was to try and fight for some podium finishes and I felt we’d done in in race one before the penalty.
“Race two was really tough with the drying conditions and the wet tyres, but I managed to get a bit of a gap at the start and then held the lead from there. I think overall the wets were quicker throughout the race but the slicks were quicker at the end and we had enough of a gap to hold on. I wanted to go slicks but the team didn’t – and I guess they were right!
“The win made up for race one and meant a good haul of points, and to then grab third in the standings in race three was a great way to end the year. Huge thanks to the team, and to all those who have supported me through the season.”
