Fortec Motorsport's Nikolas Taylor claimed his sixth GB4 win of the year, as he avoided first lap chaos to surge from fifth on the grid to victory.
It was almost a dream scenario for the Anglo-Malaysian, as first lap drama accounted for championship rival Jarrod Waberski (Kevin Mills Racing) and fellow front-runner Jack Sherwood, and also hampered championship leader Max Marzorati, who sustained a puncture, all in an incident at Village on the first lap.
That promoted Taylor to the lead, and he pulled away after a safety car to revitalise his championship charge. He finished clear of Kevin Mills Racing's Tom Mills in second, while the podium was completed by Hillspeed's Megan Gilkes after last lap drama at Abbey with long-time podium runner Logan Hannah.
As ever on the first lap, there was plenty of slipstreaming as pole-sitter and then championship leader Marzorati led them away. As he defended his position at Stowe and on the approach to Abbey, Sherwood moved for the lead at Abbey but under braking for the Village right hander, Waberski in third collided with the rear of both Marzorati and Sherwood's car, launching over the top of the Elite car and taking off its rear wing.
Both cars were instant retirements, and brought out the safety car. In the drama, Taylor, from fifth on the grid, had taken the lead with Marzorati running second, Mills third and Hannah fourth.
Gilkes was also in the wars and pitted with a puncture while under safety car, and rejoined the back of the field, just as it became evident that her teammate had suffered the same fate. Marzorati's puncture became apparent on the third lap while still under safety car, but pitted just at the same time as the safety car's exit, dropping him a long way back.
Taylor therefore led the pack away from Mills, and despite expectations of a slipstream thriller, was able to edge away at the front while Mills was comfortable in second.
Instead, the action focused on the podium battle, with Hannah under pressure first from Jessica Edgar and then Gilkes. Edgar looked to take the podium position, but Gilkes had surged her way up from the back of the pack and had joined the battle by lap five. The Canadian moved into fourth on lap seven and then set her attentions on Hannah. Come the final lap and three tenths of a second separated them, putting Gilkes firmly in the tow.
Gilkes went for the move at Abbey around the outside, and as she did, Hannah pinched on the inside spun, with Gilkes forced to take evasive action. Gilkes was able to hold third but Hannah dropped to seventh behind Edgar, Hillspeed debutant Marcus Short and Rossoverde's Christian Lester, who claimed his best result so far.
Hannah finished ahead of teammate Chloe Grant, while Marzorati recovered to ninth, setting the fastest lap in the process.
The field return to action tomorrow for the second race of the weekend, due to commence at 11.40.
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Silverstone race one
provisional result:
1. Nikolas Taylor, Fortec Motorsport, 8 laps
2. Tom Mills, Kevin Mills Racing, +2.647s
3. Megan Gilkes, Hillspeed, +8.164s
4. Jessica Edgar, Fortec Motorsport, +8.700s
5. Marcus Short, Hillspeed, +14.645s
6. Christian Lester, Rossoverde Racing, +14.958s
7. Logan Hannah, Graham Brunton Racing, +18.080s
8. Chloe Grant, Graham Brunton Racing, +25.752s
9. Max Marzorati, Hillspeed, +48.929s
DNF. Jack Sherwood, Elite Motorsport, 0 laps
DNF. Jarrod Waberski, Kevin Mills Racing, 0 laps