Australian youngster Dante Vinci has been confirmed as Hillspeed’s first driver signing for the 2026 GB3 Championship, following a highly promising winter testing programme with the squad across the UK and Europe. The 17-year-old makes the step up into GB3 after his first full season in cars this year in the Italian F4 Championship and Euro F4 Championships.
Having undertaken very successful test outings in recent weeks with the Markham Vale squad at Silverstone and Snetterton, as well as Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, Austria’s Red Bull Ring and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain, the Sydney native is raring to go for his competitive GB3 bow next season.
Vinci’s path towards single-seater racing began just five years ago when he first entered the world of karting at the age of 12, competing in the KA2 Australian Kart Championship as well as the KA4 Junior category. In 2023, he made the move onto the global karting stage when he raced in the OK class of the FIA Karting World Championship and also competed in the WSK Champions Cup.
His car-racing debut came in 2024 during the season finale of the F4 Italian Championship, before then embarking on a Formula Winter Series campaign at the beginning of this year, in which he was the fourth-highest-placed rookie.
He then contested his first full Italian F4 season, where he was sixth in the Rookie standings with six podiums, including second places at Monza and Mugello, and also took a best overall result of sixth at Monza. In his dovetailed Euro 4 campaign, Vinci was fourth in the Rookie standings with three second places, and he took a best outright finish of fifth en-route to 11th in the overall championship.
Dante Vinci: “I’m happy to announce I’ll be competing in the GB3 Championship with Hillspeed in 2026. Winter testing has been super strong, getting to know several new tracks, and I’m ready for this championship to be my next opportunity to fight. I’m looking forward to a successful and fun season, and I’m beyond grateful to share that with Hillspeed.”
Hillspeed Team Principal Richard Ollerenshaw: “We are absolutely delighted to have signed Dante to race with Hillspeed in GB3 next year. It’s especially pleasing to complete the deal this side of Christmas. Our winter testing programme with him has been incredibly successful, we’ve been impressed with the way Dante has adapted to the current GB3 car and have high hopes for his maiden campaign in GB3. With a great family behind him, coupled with the support and driver development the team provides, we can’t wait for the new season.”
For more championship information, visit www.gb-3.net.