Fortec Motorsports opened its GB3 Championship campaign at the weekend (26–27 April), working hard to come away with point-scoring finishes at Silverstone.
With the introduction of the new, more powerful Tatuus MSV GB3-025 car and the team fielding two series debutants, consistent results and continued development across all sessions marked a positive outcome.
Returning to Fortec was South African driver Mika Abrahams, making his debut in competition above Formula 4 level. He was joined by British Bulgarian Stefan Bostanjiev, who is embarking on his first season in single seaters.
Mika and Stefan took to the track on Saturday morning for the new two-part qualifying format. The first 15-minute session set the grid for race one, the second for race two, while race three once again featured a reversal of the top 12 fastest times.
Getting to grips with the all-new Tatuus MSV GB3-025 car, Mika and Stefan finished qualifying in P19 and P25 respectively. “We didn’t have many expectations going into qualifying as it’s a new car with lots to learn and develop,” admitted Mika. “We wanted to maximise our performance going into qualifying, which I feel like we did, getting into a decent position to help us fight for points.”
Both drivers made a clean start to race one, with Mika maintaining position and Stefan engaging in close battles over the opening laps. However, as the race progressed, it became increasingly difficult for both to hold ground. At the chequered flag, Mika was classified P22 and Stefan P23. “Having not done a race for over a year, the rust really showed,” said Mika. “I managed to keep and fight for my position until the very end and learnt a lot.”
Race two began in dramatic fashion as two cars stalled on the grid. Both Mika and Stefan avoided the incident but dropped to P22 and P23. Following a Safety Car period, Mika began to climb the order, first moving into P21. His strong pace helped him gain further positions to reach P16 before a late-race Safety Car neutralised proceedings, while Stefan delivered a similarly composed drive to finish P18. “We have been running very different set-ups in each race, kind of treating this weekend like another test to get up to speed,” said Stefan afterwards. “This is my learning year in single seaters, so every start is a learning opportunity.”
Race three featured more early drama, with another Safety Car interruption. Mika made a strong launch, gaining two positions off the line before picking up another spot after the restart, securing P16 and his second points finish of the weekend. “I got a good start. There was a lot of carnage, and I managed to capitalise on that, and I passed many cars and gained points again which was another great result,” he said.
Stefan also made progress, running close behind in P18, but was forced to retire after a rear wing issue led to a pit stop and a DNF. “I made a few moves, but unfortunately, my race got cut short,” he said.
Fortec Motorsports now turns its attention to the next three races in the GB3 Championship, set to take place at Zandvoort – home of the Dutch Grand Prix – over the weekend of 17–18 May.
Mika Abrahams #29
Grid 1 – 19, Race 1 – 22
Grid 2 – 20, Race 2 – 16
Grid 3 – 20, Race 3 – 16
Championship: 22 (9 points)
Stefan Bostanjiev #23
Grid 1 – 24, Race 1 – 23
Grid 2 – 22, Race 2 – 18
Grid 3 – 22, Race 3 – DNF
Championship: 24 (3 points)
