Hillspeed racer and team end 2024 season in positive fashion

Making marked improvements throughout the second half of the GB3 season, Harrow racing driver Kulkarni continued in that vein at the Kent venue and put together a hat-trick of good results with a best of 15th place coming during the final race on Sunday afternoon.

Ending his rookie season in the UK’s top single-seater championship equal 18th in the driver standings, Kulkarni’s development with Markham Vale squad Hillspeed has undoubtedly stepped-up a notch in recent weeks as pace and racecraft have been boosted.

Determined to make progress in round 22 later in the day, the Hillspeed racer did just that and performed well to finish 16th.

Starting round 23 on Sunday morning from row 10 of the grid again, Kulkarni experienced some wheelspin off the line but he moved up a position at Surtees at the expense of Colin Queen. When another car pitted at the end of the opening lap, the Hillspeed racer moved up into 18th position and on lap two at Druids he leapt into the top 15 when three rivals tangled under braking.

Following the required Safety Car period the action resumed on the sixth tour and Kulkarni slipped to 16th place at Druids before finishing in 17th spot.

He finished the 15th and had a best lap within 0.9 seconds of the fastest of the race.

Richard Ollerenshaw, Hillspeed Team Principal, said: ““Adi has been very good this weekend, particularly in the races – he’s actually impressed me a heck of a lot. Qualifying went horribly wrong through just a very small mistake, he would certainly have qualified higher had he got the last run in, but considering how difficult overtaking is on this track his performances in the races were very good.

“Just like Donington last time out, and Silverstone before that, Adi has made a huge step forward. He’s continued to work hard on his fitness, and has had to dovetail that with increasing educational commitments as well.

"We knew it would be a tough season, it’s a huge mountain to climb from GB4 to GB3, but he’s developed his potential impressively during the second half of the year which is testament to all the work Adi’s been putting in and the efforts of everyone at the team.”