Hungaroring calls as Hitech welcomes Micallef for GB3 debut
Round 3 – Hungaroring – Preview
Hitech heads to the Hungaroring this weekend for Round 3 of the 2026 GB3 Championship, looking to build on the encouraging pace shown at Spa-Francorchamps while welcoming Jacob Micallef to the team for his GB3 debut.
The 16-year-old Maltese driver joins Hitech for selected rounds of the championship following an impressive start to his rookie single-seater campaign in the F4 Spanish Championship. Micallef becomes the first driver from Malta to compete at GB3 level and will line up alongside Deagen Fairclough and Felix Fu in Budapest.
Hitech arrives in Hungary on the back of a triple points finish at Spa, where Deagen Fairclough led the team’s charge with fourth place in Race 2. The British driver demonstrated front-running pace throughout the weekend and was unfortunate not to come away with an even stronger haul after front wing damage compromised his opening race.
Felix Fu continued to build experience in his first GB3 season, recovering well in difficult conditions to score finishes of P12 and P15.
The Spa weekend was heavily disrupted by weather, with heavy rain forcing a revised schedule after the opening race was suspended. Despite the challenging conditions, Hitech’s drivers adapted well and consistently ran inside the points, providing plenty of encouragement heading into the next round.
The championship now moves to one of the most technical circuits on the calendar. The Hungaroring rewards precision, rhythm and tyre management, with its sequence of medium-speed corners placing a premium on consistency and racecraft. Overtaking opportunities are limited, making qualifying performance and track position crucial across the weekend.
Phil Blow, Hitech's GB3 Team Manager:
“Spa was another encouraging weekend for us. Deagen showed he has the pace to fight at the front and deserved to come away with a strong result, while Felix continued to gain valuable experience in difficult conditions. We're also excited to welcome Jacob to the team this weekend. He's made a very promising start to his single-seater career and this is a fantastic opportunity for him to continue his development in a highly competitive championship.”
“The Hungaroring is always a unique challenge. It's a circuit that rewards precision and consistency, and with overtaking at a premium, qualifying will be especially important. If we can execute the weekend well from the outset, we're confident we can be fighting towards the front.”
The Hungaroring weekend follows the standard GB3 format, with testing on Thursday and Friday before a two-part qualifying session on Friday afternoon. Races 1 and 2 will take place on Saturday, with the top-12 reverse-grid Race 3 concluding the weekend on Sunday.
