by Simon Paice | May 25, 2022 | F3 News
Douglas Motorsport’s GB3 Championship racer Tommy Smith is aiming to be on the fast track to success this season after having a locomotive train named the ‘Tommy Express’ in his honour by headline partner SCT Logistics.
The Australian interstate transport company have been loyal backers of Smith since his car racing career began back in 2018, with their latest show of support for the Melbourne racer coming just weeks after his memorable first GB3 Championship podium at Oulton Park.
SCT Logistics’ Locomotive CSR016 will now be known as the ‘Tommy Express’ as it travels across the country, adorned by a cartoon image of Smith in his Douglas Motorsport car.
Tommy Smith: “The SCT history is a great Australian story, being the 1st Private Rail Operator in Australia and operating the largest freight trains in Australia across the longest single rail line in the World – 3,500 Kilometres from the East Coast to the West Coast of Australia. SCT set the benchmark in innovation and I’m both proud and thankful for their support and this tribute”
Initially an East/West rail operator, SCT Logistics has grown to be able to service all transport requirements to every destination in Australia, with offices in all major capital cities and regional locations. Their own train services incorporates no less than 35 mainline locomotives and over 600 pieces of specialised rail rolling stock.
Pat Kerin, SCT’s Sales Director: “We are so happy to be continuing this relationship with Tommy, he is a fine young man with a great future in Motorsport. Locomotive number 16 “Tommy Express” will now be a special addition to our fleet of more than 40 locomotives which service our business across Australia.
“We wish Tommy all the best with his motor racing endeavours and we look forward to supporting him into the future.”
by Simon Paice | May 9, 2022 | F3 News
Douglas Motorsport came oh so close to a brace of podium results from a promising second GB3 Championship meeting of the 2022 season at Silverstone, with rookie Max Esterson grabbing a pair of impressive fourth place finishes.
After a sensational maiden podium finish for Australian Tommy Smith provided the highlight for the team in the season opener at Oulton Park, it was the turn of GB3 rookie Esterson to take the spotlight as the blue Tatuus MSV-022 machines tackled three races at Silverstone.
At their home circuit, the Northamptonshire team had set record pace with a test driver on the Thursday in the run-up to the weekend of racing at the 3.66-mile Grand Prix circuit, with regular drivers Esterson and Smith also gaining vital data over both days of running ahead of Saturday’s all important qualifying session.
A tight session saw both drivers enjoying time within the top 10 before Esterson turned the screw by putting the Douglas car sixth on the grid for race one later that afternoon, his second fastest time enough to put him fourth for the second race on Sunday. Smith fought hard and was not far back on speed, taking 18th overall.
Esterson was on the offensive as soon as the lights went out to start the opening 10-lap race of the weekend. Making up two spots in a frenetic first lap, the Formula Ford graduate fended off initial attacks by James Hedley before pulling clear on his way to a strong fourth place finish. Smith would only be looking forward too, and he moved four spots higher to grab 14th place by the chequered flag.
Esterson and Smith started fourth and 16th on the grid respectively for race two and again Esterson chased hard for his maiden podium. He would come up just short, but in a comfortable fourth place once more, Smith remaining 16th.
Like at Oulton Park, Smith had a chance to grab another strong result for the Douglas team in the reverse grid contest which concluded the weekend. Smith started from third place on the grid, while Esterson had work to do to recover from 15th.
Running well in fourth early on and on the offensive, Smith unfortunately lost ground during a frenetic scrap in the middle of the race. He would be shuffled down the pack on the dirty side of track to an unrepresentative 12th by the chequered flag, two spots behind Esterson who made up ground.
Douglas Motorsport are next in action in three weeks’ time as the GB3 Championship makes its first of two visits this year to Donington Park over the weekend of 28/29 May.
“The team did a great job all weekend, and we would have deserved a podium finish from it. Max came very close to getting that but he impressed all weekend and got to show his pace after a tough start at Oulton Park. Tommy again ended the weekend with a good result and made progress in the races after qualifying, so we can leave here and head to Donington Park with our heads held high.”
Team Principal
“I think it all starts in qualifying in GB3. We could have had a bit more that would have put us in the top three, but it’s good progress for sure with two fourth place finishes. Hopefully we can keep this up, and the car is clearly there for us. We can leave here happy as a team ahead of Donington Park.”
“Race three was a manic one and proved a little bit tricky at the end. We started right up there and then I tried to make a pass early on to get myself into some clear air. We got shuffled off-line after I tried to take back third, but it all starts from qualifying which I really hope I can fix. I’ve done plenty of laps at Donington Park so I think we can really maximise the tyre there.”
by Simon Paice | Apr 19, 2022 | F3 News
Douglas Motorsport grabbed a superb podium finish courtesy of Tommy Smith to round out the opening round of the 2022 GB3 Championship season in style at Oulton Park over the Easter weekend (16-18 April).
The team entered the new season armed with a fresh line-up featuring Formula Ford graduate Max Esterson, 2021 British F4 star Marcos Flack and GB3 returnee Smith, with the trio all hoping to hit the ground running with a strong start to the season.
Bringing along three of the latest Tatuus MSV-022 GB3 cars for their latest assault on the series, rookie drivers Esterson and Flack showed their potential with consistent pace well inside the top 10 on Friday.
Qualifying on Saturday morning would be a hectic affair as the 21-car field jostled for position on track to find the optimum hot lap, with Esterson leading the Douglas charge in the 20-minute timed session to decide the grid for races one and two of the weekend. The American teenager narrowly missed out on the top 10, one spot ahead of Flack while Smith sealed 18th.
A frenetic opening lap in race one later that afternoon would be to the advantage of Australian rookie Flack, who moved into the top 10 as he evaded numerous first lap incidents around him, ultimately finishing a credible ninth place on debut. Smith improved a spot from his starting position, while Esterson was a victim of the lap one squabbling which dropped him to an unrepresentative 19th.
Action would then resume on Monday, and the day would bring much brighter things for the Douglas Motorsport team. Esterson led the team’s charge initially, finishing 11th after a tight race two and narrowly missing out on 10th by 0.2s. Flack and Smith came home 14th and 17th respectively.
A reversed grid from Saturday’s qualifying results decided the order for the third and last race of the weekend, and it paid off handsomely for the resurgent Smith, who lined up on the front row of the grid for the final 14-lap contest.
The Australian would take full advantage with a fine start to maintain his position, keeping David Morales at bay throughout with a controlled performance to grab second place and his first ever GB3 podium finish.
Esterson again showed great pace as he joined an enticing 10-car tussle for sixth place, climbing the order to eighth where he remained to the chequered flag. Flack was shuffled wide at the hairpin on lap one and fell to 20th at the end of an otherwise solid weekend.
Douglas Motorsport are next in action at Silverstone GP circuit for another trio of races when the GB3 Championship visits next month on 7-8 May.
“Finishing the weekend with a podium finish is a fantastic result for us as a team, and we could not be happier for Tommy Smith to have achieved this and his first ever GB3 podium after a controlled performance.
“Qualifying was not quite representative of our pace before that, and Max in particular has a lot more to come this season having been in and around in terms of pace, as did Marcos who impressed on his first ever GB3 weekend.
“All three drivers showed great race craft also at a track that is notoriously difficult to overtake at, so we’re looking forward to a strong showing at Silverstone next month.”
Team Principal
“Qualifying was tough and it put us a little bit on the back foot as you can’t overtake people much around here. We showed good pace in testing and in pre-season, so I know there’s a lot more to come for us this season.”
“It’s great to finish on a positive. The pace was better in the final race when you’re out of the traffic and can drive at your speed. Qualifying could have gone better as we had a few issues and struggled because of that, but a great result to end the weekend. I’m really glad to get the podium and good points, because Oulton’s a tricky old track.”
“An up and down weekend for me. I learned through the weekend, but I feel that I need to learn more. It’s definitely a bit of a character-building weekend but we’ll be sorted and come out fighting a lot harder next time out.”
by Simon Paice | Feb 23, 2022 | F3 News
Douglas Motorsport are delighted to announce that Australian rising star Marcos Flack will complete their driver line up for the 2022 GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC.
The 15 year old will join compatriot Tommy Smith and American driver Max Esterson in a three car entry for the Northamptonshire based team, who are set to contest their tenth consecutive season in the UK’s leading single-seater championship.
Flack moved into single-seater racing last year with a great karting pedigree, having enjoyed success at both domestic and international level. An impressive maiden campaign in British Formula 4 saw him secure three overall podium finishes and a Rookie Cup class win.
Alongside that, the Brisbane based racer contested one-off rounds in the Italian and German Formula 4 championships and a busy 2022 season will see him continue to build his single seater skills and experience by combining his GB3 efforts with an Italian F4 entry.
Having enjoyed some GB3 tests with Douglas Motorsport at the latter end of the 2021, including showing impressive pace in the official pre-event test for the Donington Park season finale, Flack is ready to hit the ground running in pre-season testing.
“We’re really pleased to get the opportunity to go racing with Marcos this season. He integrated well with the team last year during his test outings and showed impressive speed from the off in the GB3 car. That combined with his great performances in Formula 4 means we’re confident he will be one to watch this season.”
Team Principal
“I’m really excited to be joining the GB3 Championship with Douglas Motorsport. To have the opportunity to work alongside Wayne, Gemma and the Douglas Motorsport team in such a well run category will be fantastic. I can’t wait to drive the amazing car and hit the track.”
The GB3 Championship is the pinnacle of the UK single-seater ladder, competing at the biggest race circuits across the country and further afield. The series is watched around the world courtesy of free live online streaming of its races.
Images from Jakob Ebrey Photography.
by Simon Paice | Dec 15, 2021 | F3 News
Following a successful partial campaign together this year, Douglas Motorsport are pleased to confirm that exciting Australian driver Tommy Smith will remain with the team next year for a full season in the GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC.
Joining American racer Max Esterson in the Northamptonshire based team’s confirmed driver line-up for the 2022 GB3 season, Smith will be aiming to build on a strong start in the championship this year as he made his UK racing debut.
The 19 year old from Melbourne made his GB3 bow at Snetterton in August, with an impressive weekend seeing him battle on the fringes of the top ten and secure a best race finish of 12th overall. He went on to replicate that result next time out at Silverstone, before bringing the season to a close at Donington Park.
Earlier in the year Smith had raced in the Formula Regional European Championship as he returned to competition after sitting out the 2020 season due to the impact of the pandemic. He’s also got previous experience from New Zealand Formula Ford, Australian Formula 4, Toyota Racing Series and Asian Formula 3.
“We thoroughly enjoyed working with Tommy this season, so we’re delighted that he’ll be back with us for a full season in 2022. He did a good job with his limited running this year, so with a full pre-season under his belt we’re confident he can enjoy a strong, competitive season.”
Team Principal
“I really enjoyed the selected rounds of GB3 that I competed in during 2021 as a part of my first season in Europe. That experience allows me to carry confidence going into the 2022 season. I really enjoyed working with Wayne and the whole Douglas Motorsport team this year; they have all the fundamentals of a really strong team and I’m sure we can have a successful programme together.
”It’s great that we get to start the season with a clean slate amidst the introduction of the new Tatuus MSV-022. I’m certainly looking forward to getting the 2022 season underway as part of the next step in my junior career, having now had a year under my belt racing throughout Europe”
The GB3 Championship is the pinnacle of the UK single-seater ladder, competing at the biggest race circuits across the country and further afield. The series is watched around the world courtesy of free live online streaming of its races.
Image from Jakob Ebrey Photography.
by Simon Paice | Dec 1, 2021 | F3 News
Leading single-seater team Douglas Motorsport will be back on the GB3 Championship grid next season, with American rising star Max Esterson their first confirmed driver for a multi-car entry in 2022.
The Northamptonshire based team have been a leading force in the UK’s premier single-seater championship, formerly known as BRDC British F3, ever since their debut back in 2013, and they are targeting more front-running success next season.
Esterson is an exciting addition to the team as he prepares to make his debut in GB3. It’s the latest chapter of a flourishing young career for the New York City born driver, who only contested his first full season of karting in 2019 before stepping up to cars the following year.
A race-winner in his maiden season in the U.S. F1600 Championship Series, Esterson then travelled to the UK for the 2020 Formula Ford Festival and Walter Hayes Trophy. He has stayed competing on these shores ever since, challenging for the championship title all the way through to the last round of this year’s Avon Tyres National Formula Ford Championship.
On top of that, in October the 19 year old successfully won the coveted Team USA Scholarship, earning him the opportunity to represent his country in the two big prestigious end-of-year events, the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone.
An eye-catching two weeks for Esterson saw him finish a brilliant second in the milestone 50th running of the Festival, before sensationally dominating the Walter Hayes. Topping every session he contested at Silverstone, he sealed the event win with a lights-to-flag victory in the grand final.
Esterson is also a hugely successful sim-racer and has competed with the support of iRacing for the last two years. Starting his virtual career at 11 years of age, he quickly moved up the ranks to become one of the top five drivers in the US and has secured multiple high-profile event wins and championship titles.
Preparations have already begun for Esterson’s introduction to the GB3 Championship, with Douglas Motorsport’s first ever American driver having shown great pace during some initial test outings with the team. They will now embark on a comprehensive driver development programme over the coming months ahead of the season starting in April.
“We’re looking forward to competing in the GB3 Championship once again next season. With some exciting upgrades to the car being introduced and a fantastic 2022 calendar, the series firmly remains the pinnacle of the UK single-seater scene.
“Max [Esterson] is a very talented young driver and we’re delighted to welcome him to the team. He’s put in some superb performances in Formula Ford this season, particularly in the two big events in recent weeks, and if his early testing times are anything to go by, we’re confident he’ll be a leading name in GB3 as well.”
Team Principal
“I’m really excited to continue my single-seater career with a step up into the GB3 Championship with Douglas Motorsport. Switching from the Formula Ford to the GB3 car was a bit of an adjustment, but Wayne and the team have done a great job welcoming me to the series and are providing me with a great place to continue learning.
“Testing has gone well so far and we are already working hard to prepare for the first race of the season in April. Thank you to my supporters Team USA Scholarship, iRacing, Christian Angle Real Estate, Amity Search Partners, B. Dyson Capital Advisors, Bell Helmets, Max Papis Innovations (MPI) and many others for making this possible.”
The GB3 Championship is the pinnacle of the UK single-seater ladder, competing at the biggest race circuits across the country and further afield. The series is watched around the world courtesy of free live online streaming of its races.
