Record-setting Swedish junior champion Linus Granfors will join Fortec Motorsports for his international single-seater debut at this weekend’s (30 March/1 April) GB4 Championship opener at Oulton Park.
16-year-old Granfors has followed in the footsteps of his brother, 2022 GB3 Championship runner-up Joel, with commanding performances in his native Sweden in recent years. After winning the Aquila Formula 1000 title in 2021, Linus went on to dominate the Formula Nordic standings in 2023, winning a record-setting 13 consecutive races to clinch the championship by early summer.
Following a highly encouraging test day with Fortec last week at Silverstone – in which Granfors topped every session and dipped below the existing lap record on his first day in the GB4 car – the decision has now been made to go racing together at this weekend’s season-opener at Oulton Park.
Alongside his single-seater achievements last year, Granfors also joined the inaugural edition of NXT Gen Cup, the world’s first all-electric junior touring car championship.
Despite sitting out pre-season testing and transitioning to a front-wheel-drive, electric car, he quickly picked up another four victories – including a double win at Germany’s Nürburgring – and led the standings entering the final race of the season, eventually finishing second after retiring from the finale with a technical issue.
Granfors was recently named Junior Racing Driver of the Year at the annual Swedish Motorsport Awards. He also received the 2024 Rydell Special Award from 1998 BTCC champion Rickard Rydell, and won a scholarship from the Ronnie Peterson Memorial Foundation.
Linus Granfors said: “It’s very exciting to make my UK race debut this weekend. I attended several races when Joel drove for Fortec in 2021 and 2022, so I do feel at home and integrated with the team already. We had a really good test last week, my first day in the car and my first experience around Silverstone, and hopefully it can translate into some strong races at Oulton Park.”
Team Principal Ollie Dutton said: “What we’ve seen of Linus in the little testing we’ve done together is absolutely impressive. He’s done literally one day in the car, last week at Silverstone, and he immediately topped every single session and went below the existing lap record. We’re massively excited to have him with us at Oulton Park this weekend and to continue our excellent relationship with the Granfors family.”