Reigning Ginetta Junior Champion Lebbon Graduates to Formula-3 with Elite

GB3
February 11, 2021

2018 Season

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Championship

Tom Lebbon will graduate in to the 2021 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with Elite Motorsport which marks the Norfolk-based team’s first foray in the single-seater series.

The 15-year-old from Bury St Edmunds won last year’s Ginetta Junior Championship – his maiden season of car racing – becoming the first driver to ever achieve winning the outright and Rookie titles in the same year.

Lebbon spent five years in karts, beginning at the age of eight-years-old. In 2019, Tom finished fourth in the IAME European Karting Series which included a victory at Casteletto (IT). Tom, who finished second in the British LGM series that year, was awarded the 2020 Ginetta Junior Scholarship in October 2019.

Tom achieved a phenomenal 15 overall podium finishes from 21 starts, including five outright race wins and 13 Rookie class wins, seven pole-positions and two fastest laps, retiring his Elite Motorsport run Ginetta on just one occasion. His performance last year was recently recognised by the BARC (British Automobile Racing Club) which awarded him with the Peter Collins Trophy, presented annually to the most promising newcomer competing in a BARC championship.

Elite Motorsport also enters Javier Sagrera Pont (SP) in the 24-race campaign and is close to completing its three-car line-up. The championship is scheduled to begin at Brands Hatch over 22-23 May.

Tom Lebbon (GB). Age 16. Born/Lives: Bury St Edmunds (UK):

“My aim is to achieve a strong year in F3 while picking up some good finishes along the way. I want to use this year to learn and experience single-seater racing and develop my driving. I need to adapt to slick tyres and aero which is all new to me.

“I’ve only completed about five days in a F3 car, at Snetterton and Valencia, and testing has been pretty limited due to poor weather. I’ve a good bond with Elite and believe that they can compete at high level in BF3. They have won lots of races and championships and I believe they are a good choice despite Elite being new to the Formula 3 paddock.”

Eddie Ives, Elite Motorsport Team Owner & Manager:

“I’m absolutely delighted and excited to be announcing Tom in one of our BF3 cars. There are no better words to describe the season that he had in 2020 as ‘truly exceptional’ – a stunning performance.

“Moving up from Ginetta Juniors into a F3 single-seater is a big step for a driver so young and with just one year of [car] racing under his belt. But this is a two-year programme and I’m confident Tom will ultimately excel in the category.”

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