Home Z - Archive seriesFIA European F3 Fuoco and Verstappen lead practice sessions at F3 opener

Fuoco and Verstappen lead practice sessions at F3 opener

by Peter Allen
Max Verstappen

Photo: FIA F3 European Championship

Rookies led the way in free practice ahead of the opening round of the FIA F3 European Championship at Silverstone.

Prema pair Antonio Fuoco and Esteban Ocon finished first and second in session one, with the Ferrari and Lotus proteges separated by 0.051s respectively.

Karting graduate Max Verstappen was third for Van Amersfoort Racing, with fourth-placed Nicholas Latifi (Prema) also within a tenth of the pace.

Verstappen claimed top spot in the second session, shaving six tenths off Fuoco’s earlier benchmark. Ocon was again second, 0.082s behind the 16-year-old Dutchman, while Fuoco completed the top three.

Carlin drivers filled four of the next five spots, with Ed Jones, Jordan King and Tom Blomqvist rounding out the top six and Antonio Giovinazzi eighth behind Latifi.

Spike Goddard took a strong ninth for the T-Sport team that is powered by Neil Brown Engineering engines, while Felix Serralles completed the top ten for series newcomers West-Tec.

The Signature team have put their return to F3 on hold for now, withdrawing from the opening weekend. Oscar Tunjo had already left the Renault-powered project, and his fellow Colombian Tatiana Calderon has now switched to Jo Zeller Racing for Silverstone, taking over from team regular Sandro Zeller. That leaves 26 cars taking part.

Session times
Pos ?Driver ?Team Session 1 Session 2
1 Max Verstappen Van Amersfoort Racing 1:52.396 1:51.716
2 Esteban Ocon Prema Powerteam 1:52.374 1:51.798
3 Antonio Fuoco Prema Powerteam 1:52.323 1:51.863
4 Ed Jones Carlin 1:52.777 1:52.040
5 Jordan King Carlin 1:52.722 1:52.082
6 Tom Blomqvist Jagonya Ayam with Carlin 1:52.424 1:52.116
7 Nicholas Latifi Prema Powerteam 1:52.413 1:52.259
8 Antonio Giovinazzi Jagonya Ayam with Carlin 1:53.510 1:52.334
9 Spike Goddard ThreeBond with T-Sport 1:53.223 1:52.558
10 Felix Serralles Team West-Tec 1:52.878 1:52.594
11 John Bryant-Meisner Fortec Motorsports 1:53.542 1:52.606
12 Felipe Guimaraes Double R Racing 1:53.065 1:52.665
13 Dennis van de Laar Prema Powerteam 1:52.823 1:52.690
14 Riccardo Agostini Eurointernational 1:53.045 1:52.712
15 Mitch Gilbert Fortec Motorsports 1:53.036 1:52.754
16 Felix Rosenqvist kfzteile24 Mucke Motorsport 1:53.001 1:54.031
17 Lucas Auer kfzteile24 Mucke Motorsport 1:53.470 1:53.013
18 Jake Dennis Carlin 1:53.922 1:53.026
19 Sean Gelael Jagonya Ayam with Carlin 1:53.383 1:53.323
20 Jules Szymkowiak Van Amersfoort Racing 1:53.760 1:53.442
21 Gustavo Menezes Van Amersfoort Racing 1:53.550 1:53.445
22 Alexander Toril ThreeBond with T-Sport 1:53.710 1:53.455
23 Tatiana Calderon Jo Zeller Racing 1:54.569 1:53.558
24 Roy Nissany kfzteile24 Mucke Motorsport 1:54.436 1:53.572
25 Michele Beretta Eurointernational 1:54.030 1:53.588
26 Hector Hurst Team West-Tec 1:54.540 1:54.362