Archie Davies’ Maiden GB4 Podium at Silverstone

I’ve been attending testing and race weekends with local racing driver Archie Davies since last summer, when he competed in the Fiesta Junior series. After an impressive 2025 season that saw him finish fourth overall, Archie has stepped up to the 2026 MSV British GB4 Championship.

I’ve enjoyed supporting Archie throughout his journey by supplying photography for his social media channels and my local magazine, which has already published several of my race weekend images.

Archie now drives for Scorpio Motorsport, a Loughborough-based team that provides race support and driver development. Alongside French teammate Romuald Bocquet, Archie has spent the off-season adapting to the team and car.

The progress made over the winter has been clear to see. Working closely with experienced engineers, Archie’s feedback has helped improve the chassis setup and overall performance. His confidence behind the wheel has grown significantly, both on track and in the simulator, and that development has already moved him further up the order.

I attended the team’s early winter test at Silverstone Circuit during a freezing November day, followed by another pre-season session at Donington Park. These tests gave both driver and team valuable time to familiarise themselves with the car and their working relationship. The professionalism and work ethic of grassroots motorsport teams never fails to impress me.

Archie Davies GB4 Silverstone Winter Test

Following seat fittings, safety and driver briefings, the first Silverstone test began in cold and damp conditions. Grip levels were low early in the day, making it a challenging introduction to the GB4 car. Thankfully, conditions improved as the afternoon progressed. The track dried out and the team was able to complete valuable dry running before the end of the session.

Donington Park Test

The second pre-season test at Donington Park featured multiple race categories sharing track time, meaning sessions were shorter and more limited. MSV, who operate the circuit, also held a promotional photoshoot for their website. Archie and experienced GB4 driver Caitlyn McDaniel featured prominently in the shoot.

Off track, there were plenty of moments that highlighted the effort involved behind the scenes. Team Scorpio manager Louis Kershaw could often be seen helping move the car back into the garage between sessions. Despite difficult weather conditions, Archie looked increasingly comfortable in the car, particularly through Donington’s fast and technical Craner Curves.

Silverstone GB4 Championship Weekend

The opening GB4 Championship race weekend took place at Silverstone on 25th and 26th April in near-perfect weather conditions.

Archie unveiled an updated helmet design inspired by Lewis Hamilton’s 2022 and 2023 Formula One helmet concept, featuring striking dayglo and purple colours that stood out immediately in the sunshine.

The headline event of the weekend was the British GT Championship, which occupied the main National Pits garages. As a result, the GB4 teams, alongside GB3 and Ginetta competitors, were based in the National Paddock area with their transporters and motorhomes.

GB4 Race 1 – Saturday 25th April

The opening race got underway cleanly. Fred Green took victory after a composed drive at the front of the field.

Archie ran strongly in the midfield and finished 13th out of a competitive 27-car grid. It was a solid debut result and an important learning experience during his first GB4 race weekend.

GB4 Race 2 – Sunday 26th April

Sunday morning began with heavy mist hanging over the circuit before the sun quickly burned through. I chose to photograph the race start from Copse Corner using a long lens. The heat haze created an almost ethereal effect as the field accelerated into the opening corner.

Unfortunately, Archie was forced onto the grass during the early stages of the race. Unable to slow the car effectively, he made light contact with the barriers, damaging the suspension Thankfully, Archie was unhurt. However, the incident left the team with a major rebuild job ahead of the final race later that afternoon.

GB4 Race 3 – Sunday 26th April

The final race of the weekend featured the traditional reverse-grid format for the top ten qualifiers. This placed Romuald Bocquet effectively on pole position for Team Scorpio Motorsport.

Romuald initially held the lead after a strong getaway. However, multiple incidents elsewhere on the circuit brought the race under a lengthy safety car period while marshals cleared stranded cars and debris from the track.

The stoppage lasted so long that several cars required assistance from mechanics to restart on the grid. When racing resumed, officials later ruled that Romuald had jumped the start. A 10-second penalty dropped him to 15th position in the final classification.

At the front, Dayton Coulthard overtook Matan Achtuv late in the race to secure victory.

For Archie, though, the post-race penalties transformed the result. After originally finishing fourth on the road, he was promoted to third place and secured his maiden GB4 podium. Considering the disappointment of the morning’s DNF, it was a deserved reward for both Archie and the team’s hard work throughout the weekend.

Looking Ahead to Oulton Park

Overall, the Silverstone weekend marked a hugely positive start to Archie Davies’ GB4 campaign. The pace shown throughout testing and race weekend suggests there is plenty more to come as the season develops.

The team now turns its attention to the next championship round at Oulton Park on 23rd May, where I’ll once again be trackside covering the action.

---