We’ve just concluded an outstanding season in the 2024 GB3 Championship by finishing as Vice-Champions in the Teams’ standings after a thrilling campaign that spanned eight rounds, 23 races, and four countries. In the final season competing with the Tatuus MSV-022 chassis, Hitech secured eight wins and 12 podiums, ultimately earning second place in the battle for the Teams’ title.
Early in the season, we set a new GB3 record with an impressive seven consecutive race wins from Silverstone to Hungary, including a clean sweep at Spa-Francorchamps. Tymek Kucharczyk contributed significantly to the team’s success, claiming four victories and finishing third in the Drivers’ Championship with 443 points. Notably, he finished on the podium at every meeting except the season opener at Oulton Park. Team-mates Will Macintyre and Gerrard Xie were equally vital in securing our overall points tally across the course of the year.
“The first race of the season was a challenging weekend for us,” said Tymek. “I believe we should have done a better job, especially on my side, where a few little mistakes probably cost us a decent start. But the pace overall was strong. I think I should have kept a cooler head and played it safe, but it’s typical, isn’t it? First race of the season, you want to make an impression.”
A collision at Oulton Park cost Tymek valuable points, but he quickly rebounded with a victory at Silverstone and dominated the overseas visit to Spa-Francorchamps at the end of May. “Silverstone was very impressive – it felt like a turning point because we secured double pole in qualifying and dominated with two wins,” said the Polish racer. “After that, I believed we were back in the championship fight. Spa was incredible as well, with two wins and a fourth place.”
Hitech’s dominance at Spa culminated in a 1-2 finish in the final race of the weekend, with Will joining Gerrard on the podium. Will had earlier won in the wet conditions at Oulton Park on his GB3 debut and added victories to his tally at both Silverstone and Spa. It was an impressive start for the 16-year-old, especially considering the Belgian round was the first time he’d competed overseas.
“At Silverstone, I got P3 in Race 1 and then P1 in Race 2, with the wet track really suiting me,” Will said. “Then racing at Spa was an unforgettable experience. Eau Rouge in the rain was intense! The elevation changes there are even more dramatic in person than they seem on TV or in the simulator. It was great racing and I went from P9 to P5 in Race 2 and set the fastest lap. After those first few rounds, we were looking really strong.”
Hitech’s momentum continued as the GB3 Championship made its debut at the Hungaroring, where Gerrard enjoyed his best weekend of the season. Gerrard took pole by an incredibly tiny margin – just 0.006 seconds ahead of Tymek. In the hot conditions, he held off intense pressure from his team-mate to secure his maiden GB3 victory, winning by just 0.523 seconds after 11 laps. This triumph extended Hitech’s record to seven consecutive wins in the series – a new record.
“Saturday at Hungary was probably the highlight of my season,” said Gerrard. “The Hungaroring suited my driving style. The circuit is smooth and fast, which plays to my strengths. I tend to struggle a little bit more on the bumpier, old-school circuits, but fast and twisty tracks with a smooth, flat surface really work for me. I beat Tymek by 0.006 seconds in qualifying, but at Donington Park, he edged me by just 0.002 seconds. It’s crazy how close it can be sometimes.”
Gerrard finished the season with two runners-up finishes, at Spa and Donington Park, and was placed seventh overall on 261 points. For 2025, he will graduate to FIA Formula 3 with Hitech and before switching cockpits, he reflected on how much he’s developed with the team over the past year: “When I joined Hitech at the end of 2023 compared to now, I feel like a completely different driver,” says the Chinese racer, who was born in Hong Kong. “We had some struggles early on, but we have improved a lot, thanks to my engineer and manager pushing me on.”
Will, who finished fifth in the standings (on 372 points) thanks to three wins and three additional podiums, echoed those sentiments. “Hitech has been huge for me,” says the British driver, who turned 17 in August. “Their experience, both on the engineering side and in terms of team management, has really helped. I’m often at their Silverstone HQ learning from the team and that gives me confidence when I’m on track. The simulator work, the gym routines, everything – they’re very professional, and I feel like I’ve improved a lot because of the environment they have.”
Tymek’s campaign included another victory at Zandvoort, but incidents at Silverstone and Donington Park impacted his points haul. However, he still claimed two more podiums at the season finale at Brands Hatch, finishing the year with 11 in total to secure third place overall in the points standings.
“Donington Park was where I made an unfortunate mistake,” admitted Tymek. “I clipped the white line, which was wet, and that was it, I lost a couple of positions. But it shows that even with all these mistakes, we were still in the championship fight right to the end. It says a lot about our pace this season – we’ve probably been the strongest team and driver package most weekends.
“Finally, the support I’ve had from the Polish fans has been incredible, I’ve never experienced anything like it. Seeing the flags waving has given me a huge boost in confidence. Their support means everything to me. Having people believe in you is priceless.”
When the season finale at Brands Hatch concluded, Hitech had amassed 908 points in the GB3 Teams’ standings, just 25 points shy of the top spot.
