Alisha Palmowski claimed her first pole position in the GB4 Championship partnered by the BRDC at Snetterton this morning (Saturday) with a pace setting lap of 1m48.580s on the 300 circuit.
The Elite Motorsport driver moved to the top of the Qualifying standings midway through the 15-minute session as the times began to tumble as the entire field grew into the session. And once at the top, Palmowski kept her head down to match her own best time.
As the chequered flag fell, the entire field was afforded one more lap of the lengthy Norfolk circuit to try and improve. But none of those in the top half of the field were able to go any faster, ensuring Palmowski will start from the top spot in the opening two races.
Her nearest challenger was series returnee Lucas Blakeley who impressed throughout pre-event testing and indeed showed competitively during the morning session. The KMR Sport driver’s best effort was just over two tenths of a second off Palmowski’s, which isn’t a massive margin around the three miles of Snetterton’s longest layout, setting up a potentially close fight later on.
Harry Burgoyne rounded out the Qualifying top-three with another best time just over two tenths behind the pace setter to continue KMR Sport’s strong showing – just 0.017s behind Blakeley. Joel Granfors (Fortec Motorsport) and Callum Baxter (Graham Brunton Racing) rounded out a top-five which was separated by just half a second around what is one of the longest laps on the GB4 calendar.
Finn Harrison was sixth quickest in Elite Motorsport’s other car to make sure both of its entries will start in the top half of the field. Behind that, Branden Templeton claimed seventh just ahead of a very close scrap for eighth as Leon Wilson edged out Chloe Grant by a mere 15 thousandths of a second.
Jack Taylor completed the top-ten ahead of the only two drivers to improve on their final run past the chequered flag – Dan Hickey and Megan Bruce.
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Snetterton qualifying result:
1. Alisha Palmowski, Elite Motorsport, 1m48.580s
2. Lucas Blakeley, KMR Sport, +0.218s
3. Harry Burgoyne, KMR Sport, +0.235s
4. Linus Granfors, Fortec Motorsport, +0.310s
5. Callum Baxter, Graham Brunton Racing, +0.488s
6. Finn Harrison, Elite Motorsport, +0.708s
7. Branden Templeton, Fox Motorsport, +1.065s
8. Leon Wilson, Arden Motorsport, +1.227s
9. Chloe Grant, KMR Sport, +1.242s
10. Jack Taylor, Fortec Motorsport, +1.941s
11. Dan Hickey, Fortec Motorsport, +3.114s
12. Megan Bruce, Fox Motorsport, +3.138s
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Snetterton qualifying second fastest times (race two pole):
1. Alisha Palmowski, Elite Motorsport, 1m48.580s
2. Lucas Blakeley, KMR Sport, +0.282s
3. Harry Burgoyne, KMR Sport, +0.322s
4. Linus Granfors, Fortec Motorsport, +0.553s
5. Callum Baxter, Graham Brunton Racing, +0.591s
6. Finn Harrison, Elite Motorsport, +0.886s
7. Branden Templeton, Fox Motorsport, +1.193s
8. Leon Wilson, Arden Motorsport, +1.236s
9. Chloe Grant, KMR Sport, +1.545s
10. Jack Taylor, Fortec Motorsport, +1.988s
11. Dan Hickey, Fortec Motorsport, +3.225s
12. Megan Bruce, Fox Motorsport, +3.710s