Hillspeed’s Megan Gilkes is hoping for more silverware in the final two rounds of the inaugural GB4 Championship season at Brands Hatch and then Donington Park.
The Canadian racer has two wins and a pair of pole positions to her name already this season, in a campaign she wasn’t expecting to be in, even just a few days before the start of the season.
“I’m thrilled with how my GB4 season has been going so far”, she said. “At the start of the year I wasn’t expecting to get the opportunity to race in such a competitive and high profile slicks and wings category, so to be racing in GB4 has been such a pleasure.
“I’m extremely pleased with the results I’ve been getting, with two wins, two pole positions and a few fastest race laps, and I’ll be looking to build on that as we go to the final two rounds of the championship.”
The former W Series contender has been driving with Hillspeed for several years, even if her race debut with the squad didn’t come until the start of the season.
“I started testing with Hillspeed in 2019, and they were actually the first team I drove a car with in the UK. I worked with them pre-season in 2019 to get myself acquainted with some F3 machinery, and had a fantastic time. They really helped me to improve and start my driver development as I began racing outside of North America.”
That relationship with the team led to her brother Nick joining the Derbyshire squad’s GB3 efforts this season, with Megan then added to the team’s GB4 line-up a few weeks later.
“My brother joined the team, largely based on the great working relationship we had with Hillspeed through the testing I’d done, and I was really pleased to be able to join him as a teammate and finally race for Hillspeed!
“The whole team has been fantastic to work with, all the mechanics work extremely hard and have great attention to detail. Neil [Goodchild] is an excellent engineer who had always gotten the car dialled in to suit my driving style, and Matt [Shawyer] is one of the best driver coaches I’ve ever worked with; he really gets the best out of my driving and has been a huge help in my development as a driver.”
She admits that driving in GB4 ha reinvigorated her desire for slicks and wings racing, and that she’s now putting in career best performances.
“Before the GB4 season started, I didn’t think I’d have the opportunity to do any slicks and wings racing. When I heard there was a chance for me to race in the inaugural round at Snetterton, I jumped at that, but only expected it to be a one-off race.
“Then Quattro came on board, and thanks to the amazing support I’ve received from them, I’ve been able to do the full championship so far. The GB4 cars are fantastic to drive, and the racing has been so close at the front. I’ve learned a lot this year, really gotten to grips with the car, and feel that I’m driving the best I’ve ever driven.”
The series now heads to the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit and then to Donington, where she starred back in May.
“I’ll be chasing that top step of the podium for the final two rounds. Donington was a great weekend for me earlier in the year, with a pole position and a win, and I’d like to repeat that performance next time we go there.”
A positive end to the season would do her prospects for next year no harm at all, and hopefully aid her aspirations of graduating to GB3.
“At the moment I am still trying to work out potential plans for next season, especially with budget restraints, but I would love to step up to GB3 and follow in Nick’s footsteps. Hopefully in the last couple of rounds I can continue to prove myself as a front runner in GB4, and I’ll be working hard over the winter to try to make those opportunities to step up to GB3 happen!”
