Pre-season tests concluded: Verstappen sets final fastest time
At the Red Bull Ring teams and drivers were able to continue their preparation for the season that will get underway in only a few days.
Tom Blomqvist
XPB Images
On the second and final day of pre-season testing of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship at the 4.326 kilometres long Red Bull Ring, teams and drivers were able to continue their preparation for the season that will get underway in only a few days. Max Verstappen (Van Amersfoort Racing, 1:23.690 minutes) set the fastest time, followed by Tom Blomqvist (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin, 1:23.930 minutes), Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin, 1:23.932 minutes) and Edward Jones (Carlin, 1:24.296 minutes) in second to fourth place. On the two days of testing in the Austrian province of Styria, 25 young drivers set lap times faster than the existing Formula 3 lap record of 1:25.921 minutes, established by Felix Rosenqvist (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport, 1:24.503 minutes) last year.
Max Verstappen, who is contesting his maiden season in motor racing this year, drew a positive verdict: “It was a good day. I was among the front runners both in the morning and in the afternoon sessions and I even managed to improve my lap time in the afternoon.” Nevertheless, the rookie from The Netherlands put things into perspective: “Even though I did quite well in testing, that doesn’t mean that I will be winning races at Silverstone right away. I still have some things to learn, but I reckon that I am heading into the right direction.”Second-fastest, Tom Blomqvist was classified just behind the son of ex-Formula 1 driver Jos Verstappen and was also happy: “We have worked pretty well, the car ran very well, the engine worked perfectly and I am happy.” The son of former world rally champion Stig Blomqvist was also positive about the slightly modified Hankook control tyres: “I think that they provide a little bit more grip. That fits really well, because with the new engine, we now also have slightly more power and are therefore able to set faster lap times in combination with the tyres.” As a part of its regular development, Hankook has slightly modified the carcass of the slick tyres for this season.
Behind Antonio Giovinazzi, Edward Jones and Jake Dennis (Carlin, 1:24.298 minutes), Jordan King (Carlin, 1:24.466 minutes) was classified sixth-fastest of the day. “We have been able to improve throughout the test sessions and I feel well prepared for my home race at Silverstone.”
Felix Rosenqvist ended up seventh and thus was the best-placed driver with a Mercedes-powered Dallara. Rookie driver Antonio Fuoco (Prema Powerteam, 1:24.504 minutes), a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, was classified eighth after the second day of testing at the Red Bull Ring, followed by Mitch Gilbert (Fortec Motorsports, 1:24.529 minutes) and Riccardo Agostini (Eurointernational, 1:24.546 minutes).
The 2014 season of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship gets underway with the first three races at the British Formula 1 circuit of Silverstone next week.
FIA F3
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