Taito Kato has concluded the FIA Formula 3 tests in Barcelona with the best time of the morning session, confirming his good form as an ART driver. Niccolò Maccagnani, from the Trident team, was the fastest in the afternoon, standing out in the final moments of the day.
During the morning session, Kato started strong, recording a spectacular 1:27.902 in just ten minutes. However, Alessandro Giusti managed to briefly surpass him, marking a 1:29.511 before the session was interrupted by an accident involving Dion Gowda at turn 8.
After the session resumed, Ernesto Rivera took the lead with a time of 1:28.186, with the top seven drivers separated by just 0.186 seconds. Kato reacted, once again taking first position, with Rivera only 0.012 seconds behind his time.
The teams spent the last hour conducting long-run tests, but the session was halted again due to an incident involving Reza Seewooruthun. Ultimately, Kato maintained his lead, followed by Rivera and Giusti, who completed the podium.
Morning Results
Position | Driver | Team | Time | Laps
1. Taito Kato (ART Grand Prix) – 1:27.902 (24 laps)
2. Ernesto Rivera (Campos Racing) – 1:27.914 (26 laps)
3. Alessandro Giusti (Rodin Motorsport) – 1:27.971 (25 laps)
In the afternoon, Trident and MP Motorsport returned to the track eager to perform. Maccagnani set a 1:29.994 that put him in first position shortly after starting. However, a new red flag interrupted the session due to a breakdown by Zhenrui Chi in his MP car.
After the tests resumed, the teams’ strategy shifted towards long stints. Trident dominated the afternoon with a provisional 1-2-3. Kean Nakamura-Berta edged out his teammate, Sebastian Wheldon, by just 0.017 seconds, both still far from Maccagnani’s time.
Gowda managed to place himself in second position with a time of 1:30.698, while his teammate James Egozi finished the day in third position for AIX. In terms of laps, Van Amersfoort stood out, with Yevan David completing 60 laps, tied with Rivera in the morning session.
Afternoon Results
Position | Driver | Team | Time | Laps
1. Niccolò Maccagnani (TRIDENT) – 1:29.994 (51 laps)
2. Dion Gowda (AIX Racing) – 1:30.698 (31 laps)
3. James Egozi (AIX Racing) – 1:30.852 (32 laps)
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
