Press Release

// Swede buzzing with confidence after first USF Pro 2000 win
// Exclusive Autosport rookie aims high again in maiden oval race

Joel Granfors will hit another milestone in his American motorsport career this weekend as he undertakes his first-ever oval race, joining the festivities in Indianapolis surrounding the Indy 500.

Granfors enters the weekend, round four of the USF Pro 2000 championship, brimming with confidence following his remarkable comeback drive to victory last time out at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – scoring the first win of the season for himself and for his team, Exclusive Autosport.

Now, a new challenge awaits in Indianapolis; this time a short drive away from the IMS venue, which centres on the Indy 500 this weekend. Action for Granfors and USF Pro 2000 instead plays out at the nearby Lucas Oil Raceway, which is staging the sole oval race of the year on Friday night.

“This will be a special weekend in many ways,” says Joel Granfors. “First, it’s my debut oval race, so quite a big moment in my career. Second, we’ve got the Indy 500 vibe running across the city. Adding to all that, I arrive on the back of my first win in the championship and in the USA, so there’s plenty to be excited about right now.”

At just 0.686 miles (1,1 km), Lucas Oil Raceway is a so-called “short oval”, offering great views for spectators who can see the entire track. It also promotes close racing, with traffic management being a major factor as the leaders catch the tail end of the field early on for lapping.

“We had a test at Lucas Oil about a month ago, which was my first time ever on an oval,” Joel Granfors explains. “It went well. I got into it very quickly and felt comfortable straight away. Going fast was not an issue. Having said that, I do expect the race itself to be a little bit different. I still have zero experience of running in the pack, aero wash and all of that. I have plenty to learn this weekend, but it will be a lot of fun.”

GUIDE: Everything you need to know about USF Pro 2000

Joel Granfors currently sits fourth in the USF Pro 2000 standings, 44 points behind leader Myles Rowe (USA). As the solitary oval event on the schedule, this weekend’s race will pay out more points than usual, with 45 to the winner instead of 30. 

There is only one race this weekend: the USF Pro 2000 Freedom 90 on Friday night. Practice and qualifying take place on Thursday.

Live streaming is available for all races throughout the season via usfpro2000.com, YouTube and the USF Pro Championships App. 

TIME TABLE (U.S. Eastern)

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
Rd. 4 – Lucas Oil Raceway (USA)

Thursday 25 May
Test 1: 12:00-12:45 pm
Test 2: 3:00-3:45 pm
Qualifying: 5:30-6:00 pm

Friday 26 May
Practice: 4:50-5:05 pm
Race: 9:30-10:20 pm

LIVE STREAMING & TIMING
www.usfpro2000.com
USF Pro Championships App

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
After 3/9 rounds

1: Myles Rowe (USA), 139 p.
2: Kiko Porto (BRA), 100 p.
3: Francesco Pizzi (ITA), 98 p.
4: Joel Granfors (SWE), 95 p.
5: Jace Denmark (USA), 91 p.

Full standings

// Exclusive Autosport rookie seals extraordinary USF Pro 2000 victory   
// Swede makes up 17 positions in unlikely fightback drive

Joel Granfors clinched a remarkable first win of his USA career with a sensational drive through the field from 18th place in this weekend’s USF Pro 2000 round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Swede delivered a massive comeback as he battled his way into Victory Lane at the IMS road course, showcasing the full scale of his capabilities on the support bill to INDYCAR’s GMR Grand Prix.

Granfors emerged victorious from the second and final race of the weekend on Saturday, overcoming the challenge of a lowly P18 grid slot – a knock-on effect of retiring early from Friday’s opening race (where lap times count towards the Race 2 grid). 

Granfors’ voyage to victory began immediately as the green flag flew, the 2022 GB3 runner-up instantly storming through on the opening lap to settle into the top ten.

His rise then kicked into top gear on the first of two restarts, where he avoided confusion to spectacularly haul himself all the way up to P2.

The lead was finally assumed with a pass on team-mate Salvador de Alba following a second restart with 15 laps to go, with Granfors never looking back again and driving off to a resounding first victory. 

”What a race!” says Joel Granfors. “It’s a dream come true to win here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I never thought in my life that I’d be here. I’m so, so happy for my first win here in the USA. I had a good start, an even better restart, and then once I got past Salvador I managed to build a gap and bring it home.”

De Alba completed a 1-2 for Exclusive Autosport, earning the team a remarkable double atop the world-famed IMS Victory Podium. 

“It’s a fantastic result for the team, a 1-2 here in Indianapolis, and the #92 Corpay car has been great all weekend,” Joel Granfors concludes. “It’s a massive confidence-boost for all of us moving forward. Thank you to the team for all the hard work.”

Thanks to his victory this weekend, Joel Granfors now moves up to fourth in the USF Pro 2000 standings, reducing the gap to overall leader Myles Rowe (USA).

Next up on the USF Pro 2000 calendar is the first and only oval round of the season, staged at Lucas Oil Raceway – also located in Indianapolis – on May 25-26. The race will form part of the high-speed celebrations in the city across Indy 500 weekend.

RESULTS

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
Rd. 3 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway (USA)

Race 1
Race 2

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
After 3/9 rounds 

1: Myles Rowe (USA), 139 p.
2: Kiko Porto (BRA), 100 p.
3: Francesco Pizzi (ITA), 98 p.
4: Joel Granfors (SWE), 95 p.
5: Jace Denmark (USA), 91 p.

Full standings

// USF Pro 2000 returns to action on sacred racing grounds 
// Granfors ready for first laps of Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Joel Granfors is set for his first acquaintance with one of the world’s most legendary motorsport venues – Indianapolis Motor Speedway – when USF Pro 2000 descends on the famed circuit this weekend in support to INDYCAR’s GMR Grand Prix. 

Few locations on earth are as deeply steeped in motorsport tradition as Indianapolis and “IMS”. Its gigantic Indy 500 oval race (which takes place in just a few weeks’ time) has created global headlines for more than 100 years, attracting close to 400 000 visitors on race day.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has also staged the USA Formula 1 Grand Prix, which ran on a dedicated infield layout within the renowned oval.

It is there, on the 2.4-mile road course iteration, that this weekend’s INDYCAR activities will take place along with all its support categories – including USF Pro 2000 with a 17-year-old Swedish rookie on the grid.

“It’s definitely a special feeling to be taking on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time of my life,” says Joel Granfors. “Additionally, to race there during the “Month of May”, in the build-up to the Indy 500, just adds to the experience. It’s another new circuit for me to learn, but the IMS road course actually looks pretty similar to the kind of tracks I’m used to from Europe. Hopefully I’ll be quickly up to speed.”

Joel Granfors arrives in Indianapolis having scored his first podium of the year last time out in Sebring, even though a full seven weeks have passed since that event.
 
The extensive spring break has been spent largely at home in Sweden, with Granfors using the opportunity to pick up a victory on a guest outing in the Formula Aquila 1000 series that he won overall back in 2020. 
 
Now, however, the Exclusive Autosport racer is back across the Atlantic and vying for his first win on U.S. soil.
 
“We’ve had a promising start to the season, but I think there’s more potential to unlock,” Joel Granfors, driving the #92 EA Corpay car, concludes. “Our race pace has been strong but we’ve been lacking a bit in qualifying, so that’s an obvious area to work on this weekend. We were on the podium last time out, in second place, so the next big target has to be that first win.”

GUIDE: Everything you need to know about USF Pro 2000

Back on the INDYCAR support bill this weekend, USF Pro 2000 will head out onto the IMS road course for the first time on Thursday for testing and practice. Friday will feature qualifying and the first race of the double-header meeting, with the concluding Race 2 taking place on Saturday.  
 
Live streaming is available for all races throughout the season via usfpro2000.com, YouTube and the USF Pro Championships App. 

TIME TABLE (U.S. Eastern)

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
Rd. 3 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway (USA)

Thursday 11 May
Test 1: 1:10-2:10 pm
Test 2: 3:30-4:30 pm
Practice: 5:50-6:20 pm

Friday 12 May
Qualifying: 8:45-9:15 am
Race 1: 2:55-3:45 pm

Saturday 13 May
Race 2: 8:55-9:45 am

LIVE STREAMING & TIMING
www.usfpro2000.com
USF Pro Championships App

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
After 2/9 rounds

1: Myles Rowe (USA), 116 p.
2: Kiko Porto (BRA), 74 p.
3: Francesco Pizzi (ITA), 74 p.
4: Lirim Zendeli (GER), 64 p.
5: Jace Denmark (USA), 64 p.
6: Joel Granfors (SWE), 63 p.

Full standings

// Swedish rookie makes first visit to USF Pro 2000 rostrum   
// Late pass nets P2 at Sebring International Raceway

Joel Granfors delivered his first podium in U.S. motorsport by powering to second place at this weekend’s USF Pro 2000 round at Sebring International Raceway.
 
The Swedish rookie backed up his convincing pace from the opening round of the season, where he recorded the fastest lap of the weekend, with another strong performance in round two – pulling all the way onto the podium.
 
The effort came in the opening race of the double-header meeting, where Granfors ran third for much of the duration. Heading out on the penultimate lap, however, the 17-year-old made a move stick on second-placed Jace Denmark, snatching P2 to cement his – and his Exclusive Autosport team’s – first podium of the season.
 
“I’m thrilled with my first podium here, and also to give the team their first this year,” says Joel Granfors. “It was a strong race throughout, and it’s great to see the pace we’re having transform into a proper result. Next, we just have to aim for that top step!”
 
In the concluding Race 2, staged on Saturday, Granfors appeared set for a P7 finish, trying to battle back from a more challenging qualifying session earlier in the day. However, contact on the very final lap damaged Granfors’ front wing, dropping him to ninth as he nursed the car home for the last mile.
 
“It wasn’t the ideal end to the weekend, but these things happen,” Joel Granfors concludes. “We struggled a bit in qualifying and started in the midfield, and that’s always tricky. I made a good start again and P7 would have been decent, but unfortunately the cars ahead of me made contact on the last lap and I got entangled in that. 

“It was a very small touch, but enough to break the wing, and so I lost a couple of places limping to the flag. All in all, though, it’s been a positive weekend with our first podium and many important points.”
 
Granfors remains in sixth place overall in the USF Pro 2000 standings following this weekend, but has just 11 points up to second.

Racing resumes on May 12-13 on the hallowed grounds of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The USF Pro 2000 field will battle it out around the famed track’s road course iteration, laid out on the infield of the legendary Indy 500 oval.

RESULTS

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
Rd. 2 – Sebring International Raceway (USA)

Race 1
Race 2

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
After 2/9 rounds 

1: Myles Rowe (USA), 116 p.
2: Kiko Porto (BRA), 74 p.
3: Francesco Pizzi (ITA), 74 p.
4: Lirim Zendeli (GER), 64 p.
5: Jace Denmark (USA), 64 p.
6: Joel Granfors (SWE), 63 p.

Full standings

// USF Pro 2000 returns to action at Sebring International Raceway 
// Swedish rookie prepared for round two of new American adventure 

After a promising debut, Joel Granfors returns to the USA this weekend for round two of the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires championship.

Granfors entered the U.S. single-seater ranks with an awe-inspiring message at the St. Petersburg season-opener three weeks ago, immediately posting the fastest lap of the meeting – on his first ever acquaintance with a street track.

This weekend, the USF Pro 2000 field regroups at another Florida venue in the shape of Sebring International Raceway. The 6.0 km road course, which recently hosted the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, has been a regular site for winter testing – but now is the time for Granfors and his peers to show everything at hand.  

“I enjoy Sebring,” says the Swedish newcomer. “It’s where I’ve driven most of my laps in this car so far, and testing has gone well. I’m really excited to be back on track and, considering the pace we had in St. Pete, we should be optimistic. It will be very interesting to see how we go on a road course in race trim. It’s a tough championship, but I think we’re ready to fight up front.”

Although Granfors’ pace in St. Petersburg was clear to see, the overall result was marred by a missed qualifying session that placed him at the back of the 20-car grid. The 17-year-old Exclusive Autosport driver did manage to salvage P9 and P8 in the two races, however, leaving him sixth in the overall standings heading into Sebring.

GUIDE: Everything you need to know about USF Pro 2000

Running this weekend is condensed to two days. The first race of the double-header meeting takes place on Friday, with the weekend then concluding on Saturday with Race 2.

Live streaming is available for all races throughout the season via usfpro2000.com, YouTube and the USF Pro Championships App. 

TIME TABLE (U.S. Eastern)

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
Rd. 2 – Sebring (USA)

Friday 24 March
Practice: 8:35-9:05 am
Qualifying 1: 12:55-1:20 pm
Race 1: 4:00-4:40 pm

Saturday 25 March
Qualifying 2: 10:00-10:25 am
Race 2: 3:30-4:10 pm


LIVE STREAMING & TIMING
www.usfpro2000.com
USF Pro Championships App

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
After 1/9 rounds

1: Myles Rowe (USA), 53 p.
2: Kiko Porto (BRA), 50 p.
3: Christian Brooks (USA), 47 p.
4: Francesco Pizzi (ITA), 38 p.
5: Jace Denmark (USA), 37 p.
6: Joel Granfors (SWE), 26 p.

Full standings

// Swede displays encouraging pace on streets of St. Petersburg  
// Rookie fights back after qualifying no-show

Joel Granfors fired a warning shot at his new rivals in USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires by setting the fastest lap of the weekend on his American motorsport debut on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Granfors, on his first-ever visit to a street track, showed no signs of being intimidated by the barrier-lined venue in The Sunshine State, proving immediately up to speed. 

After going eighth fastest in practice, just half a second shy of his more experienced rivals, Granfors set his sights at further upping his pace in qualifying.

In a slightly bizarre incident, however, Granfors would be forced to sit out the entire grid-deciding session after making contact with a rival driver who stalled on pitlane as the lights turned green. Inflicting damage to his #92 Corpay Exclusive Autosport car, Granfors was demoted to the sidelines while the rest of the 20-car field battled it out for pole position.

“It was a really unusual situation,” Joel Granfors explains. “Another car stalled right in front of me as the session started, and I just couldn’t avoid him. Missing qualifying was the worst that could happen, especially here where it’s difficult to overtake, and it probably cost us a shot at the podium this weekend.”

Granfors, however, would not give up that easily. He first battled back from last to ninth in Saturday’s season-opening race, before netting himself a P8 finish in Sunday’s concluding Race 2. 

Rounding out his debut weekend on a high, Race 2 saw Granfors impressively set the outright fastest lap of the meeting – a 1m09.800s. 

“It’s been mixed emotions this weekend,” Joel Granfors concludes. “Missing qualifying clearly hurt, especially for me as a rookie over here. I need all the laps I can get. For the same reason, though, I was really pleased to see the time we set in Race 2. It proves the pace we have, even here on a street track with a session missed, and it makes me confident for the coming races.”

Joel Granfors leaves the season-opener sitting sixth overall in the standings, leading the way among Exclusive Autosport’s four-car roster. The USF Pro 2000 campaign continues at Sebring International Raceway on March 25-26. 

RESULTS

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
Rd. 1 – Streets of St. Petersburg (USA)

Race 1
Race 2

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
After 1/9 rounds 

1: Myles Rowe (USA), 53 p.
2: Kiko Porto (BRA), 50 p.
3: Christian Brooks (USA), 47 p.
4: Francesco Pizzi (ITA), 38 p.
5: Jace Denmark (USA), 37 p.
6: Joel Granfors (SWE), 26 p.

Full standings

// Swede lines up in deep USF Pro 2000 field 
// Season gets underway this weekend at St. Petersburg INDYCAR opener

Joel Granfors is entering a new exciting phase of his career this weekend as the Swedish single-seater ace prepares for his debut in American motorsport on the streets of St. Petersburg.

Granfors joins the USF Pro 2000 field this season, racing two steps below the top-tier NTT INDYCAR SERIES in what marks a significant shift from his previous all-European experience. 

Apart from a new series, a new car, new team and a new continent, 17-year-old Granfors also finds himself thrown in at the deep end this weekend as the season springs to life on a street course on the fashionable shores of St. Petersburg, Florida.

With zero previous street track experience, Granfors will have his work cut out to adapt to the challenge, well aware that the slightest mistake can mean instant retirement between the unforgiving barriers.

“This is going to be a very special weekend in many ways,” says Joel Granfors. “Everything is all new for me this season, and it’s particularly exciting to kick it off on a street track. I know it’s going to be a challenge, especially with just 30 minutes of practice before qualifying. It will be key to maximize that short window, stay away from trouble, and make the most of every single lap.”

The USF Pro 2000 field, which features approximately 20 drivers in 2023, arrives in St. Petersburg straight from the series’ official pre-season test at the nearby Sebring International Raceway.

Across two days of running on Monday and Tuesday, Granfors made good progress aboard his 275-bhp Exclusive Autosport IP-22 Tatuus.

“We had a solid test and learned quite a bit,” Joel Granfors explains. “At this stage, it’s mainly about getting to know the team’s way of working, and understanding what this car needs from me as a driver. It’s a process that will continue in St. Petersburg this weekend.” 

Granfors descends on the U.S. racing community following a strong tenure in Europe, winning Sweden’s Formula Nordic and Aquila Synergy Cup titles in 2020 and finishing second overall in Britain’s GB3 Championship last year.

Moving stateside, he will go up against not only the best and brightest of American junior racing, but also a number of drivers sharing a similar background in Europe.

“I race to win, but at the same time, you have to be realistic,” Joel Granfors concludes. “This weekend in particular will throw so many firsts at me. I have to remember I’m a complete rookie over here, while most of the others have raced at these tracks for several years.

“We’ll take it one step at a time and see where we end up, but of course I’d love to go away from this weekend with a strong result in the bag.”

The USF Pro 2000 season begins on Friday with practice and qualifying. That is followed by two races later in the weekend; one on Saturday and one on Sunday.

GUIDE: Everything you need to know about USF Pro 2000

Live streaming is available for all races via usfpro2000.com, YouTube and the USF Pro Championships App. For further information throughout the weekend, please visit joelgranfors.com.

TIME TABLE (U.S. Eastern)

USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires
Rd. 1 – Streets of St. Petersburg (USA)

Friday 3 March
Practice: 09:35-10:10 am
Qualifying: 01:00-01:30 pm

Saturday 4 March
Race 1: 11:15 am-12:00 pm

Sunday 5 March
Race 2: 3:00-3:45 pm


LIVE STREAM 
www.usfpro2000.com
USF Pro Championships App
YouTube

LIVE TIMING 
www.usfpro2000.com

// Swedish youngster heads to America in new chapter of burgeoning career
// Joins title-winning squad in transatlantic move to INDY NXT and NTT INDYCAR SERIES support ladder

Joel Granfors will head to the USA to begin an exciting new chapter in his single-seater career in 2023, joining reigning champions Exclusive Autosport in the INDYCAR-supporting USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires championship.
 
The Swede – who finished runner-up in Britain’s GB3 Championship in 2022 – has signed a deal to drive the #92 Corpay Exclusive Autosport car in the 18-race season.
 
In joining Exclusive Autosport, Granfors slots in at the same team that carried Britain’s Louis Foster to the 2022 USF Pro 2000 title.   
 
“This is a thrilling step in my career, and literally a new challenge in so many ways,” says Joel Granfors. “It’s a new continent, all new tracks, a new car and a new team, but I’ve massively enjoyed all I’ve seen of it so far. The team has really made me feel at home and I couldn’t be prouder to be in the #92 Exclusive Autosport Corpay-branded car. It’s all about picking your opportunities in this sport and, for me, I feel the package is right to make this move and try to chase the American dream.”
 
USF Pro 2000 is the final step on the USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires development system ladder, which leads drivers onwards to INDY NXT (previously known as Indy Lights) and, ultimately, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES – the top tier of U.S. single-seater racing.
 
To aid progression for talented drivers, USF Pro 2000 offers up one of motorsport’s biggest scholarships – valued at $664,500 – for the champion to advance to INDY NXT in 2024. 
 
17-year-old Granfors recently conducted his first test aboard the Tatuus IP-22 used in the series, proving instantly up to speed across two days of running at Sebring International Raceway. 
 
“I am really happy to have Joel join the Exclusive Autosport program for the 2023 season,” says Michael Duncalfe, Team Principal. “Joel has a proven record on track and his skills and experience will lend itself very well to the USF Pro 2000 car. We had a very successful two days of testing at Sebring International Raceway this past week. He adapted very well to all the new variables that were thrown his way and his speed showed immediately out of the gate. With the testing program we have set out for Joel, I am confident he will be a title contender for the 2023 USF Pro 2000 championship.”

Granfors is the third driver signed by Exclusive Autosport for the 2023 USF Pro 2000 campaign, alongside Lindsay Brewer and Yuven Sundaramoorthy. Slotting into the team’s #92 Corpay entry, Granfors will don a raspberry Corpay suit and car livery in the championship this year.

“Absolutely thrilled to have Joel driving in the #92 Corpay Exclusive Autosport USF Pro 2000 car for the 2023 season,” says Frank Mannarino, VP, Head of Channels & Alliances, Corpay Cross-Border Solutions. “As a provider of global payments and a multi-year sponsor to Exclusive Autosport, team Corpay is looking forward to supporting this very talented young driver in his journey as he acclimates to new North American tracks and strong competition. Välkommen Joel!”

Granfors will undertake an extensive testing program in preparation for the opening round of the season in St. Petersburg, Florida, on March 3-5. The 2023 USF Pro 2000 championship consists of 18 races, including an oval event at Lucas Oil Raceway taking place on the same weekend as the Indianapolis 500. The season will wrap up in Portland, Oregon, on September 3. 

Race events will be live-streamed and can be accessed by tuning in on the USF Pro Championships App and at usfpro2000.com. 

More information:
USF Pro 2000 – usfpro2000.com
Exclusive Autosport – exclusiveautosport.com

Joel’s auction for Musikhjälpen 2022 has raised 13 000 SEK after gaining 53 bids in two weeks for the sake of charity.

Joel auctioned off the opportunity for one lucky winner (and a friend) to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime ride around Joel’s home track of GTR Motorpark in Eskilstuna at full speed aboard a proper sports car. The idea proved an attractive proposition, with bidding not decided until the final minutes.

“I’m thrilled to see the commitment from all the bidders and for the auction to raise 13 000 SEK has exceeded my expectations,” Joel comments. “Big thanks to all of those taking part, and congratulations to the winner! I’m already looking forward to taking them for some hot laps next year!”

All in all, the nationwide Musikhjälpen initiative raised a mammoth 54 MSEK, with the annual fundraiser this year focussing on the cruel situation facing children fleeing in times of war. 

• Swede scores silver to wrap up impressive rookie campaign
• Fortec racer on the podium in nearly 50 % of races

Joel Granfors has finished as runner-up in the 2022 GB3 Championship, as the only non-British driver inside the top four of the final standings.

17-year-old Granfors entered the final round of the season at Donington Park holding second in the standings, just behind leading Briton Luke Browning (20) in a straight fight for the title.

The duo, who have controlled the championship this year, duly proved equally matched on pace once again, lapping within fractions of each other in qualifying for all three of the weekend’s races. 

Granfors climbed from eighth on the grid to fifth in the opening race of the meeting on Saturday, while Browning took second. That result extended the Briton’s championship lead to 26.5 points going into Sunday’s all-decisive final pair of races; but with Granfors intriguingly starting ahead of Browning in both.

The drama seemed to thicken further as Granfors stormed off the line in Race 2 to snatch an early lead. However, on a drying track the Swede gradually slipped back on heavily worn wet-weather tyres, eventually finishing 13th – enough for Browning to clinch the title.

Granfors then wrapped up the weekend in style by rising from 13th on the fully-reversed Race 3 grid to finish fifth in the final contest of the season, setting the second-fastest lap of the race.

“Of course I’m a bit disappointed not to win the championship, but we came into the weekend second in the standings and with nothing to lose,”says Joel Granfors. “It feels alright. I always race to win, but Luke has been a strong competitor all year. Congratulations to him on winning the title.

“We did our best, and I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved as a rookie in this championship this season. I also want to say a big thank you to all the guys at Fortec. The team has done a great job this year.” 

The 2022 campaign has marked another successful year in Granfors’ fledgling motor racing career. After finishing fourth in British Formula 4 in 2021, the Swede has continued his rise with a yet firmer performance in the higher-tier GB3 category, Britain’s leading domestic single-seater series.
 
Throughout the course of the season, Granfors has won twice – both times at British GP venue Silverstone – and racked up 11 podiums from 24 races. He has also qualified on pole position on three occasions. 
 
Granfors ends up as the sole non-Briton in the championship top four, and also becomes the highest-placed Fortec Motorsports driver in the standings since 2019.
 
“Joel has done an incredible job this season,” says Fortec team manager Richard Dutton. “He’s gone up against a more experienced rival and has done everything you can ask for in a rookie year. It’s been a pleasure for us to follow his progress and be a part of his journey here in the UK these last two years. He is now at a very high level and he’s definitely on for great things in the future.” 
 
More information about Joel Granfors’ 2023 racing programme will be communicated in due course.

RESULTS

GB3 Championship
Rd. 8 | Donington Park

Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

GB3 Championship
After 8/8 rounds

1: Luke Browning (GBR), 507 p.
2: Joel Granfors (SWE), 460.5 p.
3: Tom Lebbon (GBR), 363.5 p.
4: Callum Voisin (GBR), 359 p.
5: Roberto Faria (BRA), 316.5 p.

View full standings