The FIA F3 Europe season burst into action at a rainy Paul Ricard Circuit in the series’ first visit to the track. After yesterday’s testing the cars took to the track once more for the first day of race meetings in 2016. Van Amersfoort Racing’s Pedro Piquet topped the first of the two sessions – the switch from VW to Mercedes power over the winter not hindering the Dutch marque’s speed whatsoever – with Williams’ Development Driver Lance Stroll putting his Prema machine on top in the second of the two outings.
With the grid smaller than it has been in previous years, competition promises to be close and intense, a hope backed up by the times this morning. Piquet edged out Tveter for top spot by 1.5 tenths and in the wetter conditions Stroll was just 4 hundredths ahead of rookie Niko Kari.
After a dominant season last year Prema appear to have maintained their speed, but have a much smaller advantage, with the field much closer. And with the changeable weather conditions today, pole in the next two qualifying sessions could be anyone’s. Qualifying 1 starts at 12:10 CET.
Free Practice 1
1 – Pedro Piquet (Dallara-Mercedes) – Van Amersfoort – 1’26″512 – 15 laps
2 – Ryan Tveter (Dallara-VW) – Carlin – 1’26″661 – 18
3 – Arjun Maini (Dallara-NBE) – T Sport – 1’27″288 – 17
4 – Anthoine Hubert (Dallara-Mercedes) – Van Amersfoort – 1’28″846 – 17
5 – Maximilian Gunther (Dallara-Mercedes) – Prema – 1’28″952 – 17
6 – Mikkel Jensen (Dallara-Mercedes) – Mucke – 1’29″435 – 18
7 – Alessio Lorandi (Dallara-VW) – Carlin – 1’32″111 – 17
8 – Raoul Hyman (Dallara-VW) – Carlin – 1’32″935 – 15
9 – Ben Barnicoat (Dallara-Mercedes) – Hitech – 1’33″689 – 12
10 – Nick Cassidy (Dallara-Mercedes) – Prema – 1’33″937 – 16
11 – George Russell (Dallara-Mercedes) – Hitech – 1’33″948 – 17
12 – Lance Stroll (Dallara-Mercedes) – Prema – 1’34″159 – 18
13 – Ralf Aron (Dallara-Mercedes) – Prema – 1’34″183 – 12
14 – Niko Kari (Dallara-VW) – Motopark – 1’34″277 – 13
15 – Nikita Mazepin (Dallara-Mercedes) – Hitech – 1’34″551 – 16
16 – Sergio Camara (Dallara-VW) – Motopark – 1’34″687 – 12
17 – Joel Eriksson (Dallara-VW) – Motopark – 1’34″825 – 13
18 – Harrison Newewy (Dallara-Mercedes) – Van Amersfoort – 1’35″023 – 12
19 – Zhi Cong Li (Dallara-VW) – Carlin – 1’35″145 – 17
20 – Guan Yu Zhou (Dallara-VW) – Motopark – 1’35″420 – 13
21 – Callum Ilott (Dallara-Mercedes) – Van Amersfoort – no time – 3
Free Practice 2
1 – Lance Stroll (Dallara-Mercedes) – Prema – 1’34″366 – 15 laps
2 – Niko Kari (Dallara-VW) – Motopark – 1’34″403 – 17
3 – Ben Barnicoat (Dallara-Mercedes) – Hitech – 1’34″497 – 10
4 – George Russell (Dallara-Mercedes) – Hitech – 1’35″308 – 8
5 – Nick Cassidy (Dallara-Mercedes) – Prema – 1’35″327 – 8
6 – Nikita Mazepin (Dallara-Mercedes) – Hitech – 1’35″589 – 8
7 – Callum Ilott (Dallara-Mercedes) – Van Amersfoort – 1’35″683 – 14
8 – Raoul Hyman (Dallara-VW) – Carlin – 1’35″714 – 14
9 – Joel Eriksson (Dallara-VW) – Motopark – 1’35″944 – 13
10 – Anthoine Hubert (Dallara-Mercedes) – Van Amersfoort – 1’35″992 – 13
11 – Arjun Maini (Dallara-NBE) – T Sport – 1’36″040 – 12
12 – Pedro Piquet (Dallara-Mercedes) – Van Amersfoort – 1’36″915 – 13
13 – Sergio Camara (Dallara-VW) – Motopark – 1’37″208 – 14
14 – Maximilian Gunther (Dallara-Mercedes) – Prema – 1’37″591 – 8
15 – Harrison Newey (Dallara-Mercedes) – Van Amersfoort – 1’37″809 – 13
16 – Alessio Lorandi (Dallara-VW) – Carlin – 1’37″836 – 12
17 – Zhi Cong Li (Dallara-VW) – Carlin – 1’37″926 – 13
18 – Mikkel Jensen (Dallara-Mercedes) – Mucke – 1’38″062 – 10
19 – Guan Yu Zhou (Dallara-VW) – Motopark – 1’39″301 – 10
20 – Ralf Aron (Dallara-Mercedes) – Prema – 1’41″215 – 4
21 – Ryan Tveter (Dallara-VW) – Carlin – no time – 0