ART form continues as Saucy tops first day of Barcelona test

Gregoire Saucy was quickest around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on the first day of FIA Formula 3 Championship testing, after Prema Racing dominated the previous week’s test at Circuito Jerez.

Franco Colapinto was second-quickest for Van Amersfoort Racing, ahead of Championship leader Victor Martins.

Morning

Friday morning began in near-perfect conditions, but there was a change to the expected line-up for the test earlier in the week.

David Schumacher was drafted in for Ayrton Simmons at Charouz Racing System, the German driver only enjoying limited running on his return to FIA F3.

Trident set the pace early on, first through Zane Maloney and Roman Stanek setting the first sub-1:33s lap of the Grand Prix circuit.

Matteo Nannini was also testing for ART, filling in for the injured Juan Manuel Correa, but caused a red flag during the morning with a mechanical issue.

Saucy went quickest in the morning with a 1:32.247, while one of Colapinto’s ‘record’ 49 laps was just a tenth and a half off the Swiss driver, while Martins ensured the ARTs sandwiched the Bahrain polesitter.

Maloney slipped down the order as the morning progressed, but did hold onto fourth just under four tenths away from Saucy.

Kush Maini, William Alatalo, David Vidales, Alex Smolyar and Nannini rounded out the top ten.

Afternoon

The full complement of drivers got stuck in from the word ‘go’ in the afternoon, with Caio Collet setting the early pace with a 1:34.465.

Isack Hadjar improved to go quickest himself, before Collet, not to be denied, took the top spot back.

Collet’s MP Motorsport team-mate Smolyar set a 1:33.342 later in the day, with Roman Stanek improving to go third, ahead of Maini, who ensured all three MP cars finished in the top four, Saucy, Hadjar, Arthur Leclerc, Jak Crawford, Oliver Rasmussen and Oliver Bearman.

Prema showed slightly more representative times in the afternoon, with all three cars in the lower reaches of the top ten.

FIA Formula 3 Testing – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Day 1 AM

FIA F3 Testing – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Day 1 PM