Imola Euro F3 test: Max Verstappen ends test on top

The Toro Rosso Formula 1 recruit sat at the head of the order for most of the day in his Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara-Volkswagen, with his morning best being the overall fastest over the two days as the field prepares for this weekend's penultimate round of the championship.

Tuesday pacesetter Jake Dennis was second quickest, just under three tenths adrift of Verstappen in the morning with his Carlin Dallara-VW.

The biggest surprise of the test was Sean Gelael's third-fastest time of the day - the Indonesian has been increasingly a fixture in the points over the summer but made a big leap forward to pip Jagonya Ayam/Carlin stablemate Antonio Giovinazzi.

Their team-mate Tom Blomqvist joined the test one day late after missing Tuesday due to sustaining concussion when he bashed his head in a fall.

Verstappen was quickest again in the afternoon session, this time with a margin of more than three tenths over Felix Rosenqvist - the Mucke Motorsport-run Swede bounced back from a morning shunt to be one of the few leading runners to improve in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Prema Powerteam squad again kept its powder dry at a circuit it knows well, with championship leader Esteban Ocon on the fringes on the top 10 for most of the day.

Nick Cassidy was a notable performer as he prepares for his first F3 race outing of the year.

Driving a third Three Bond T-Sport Dallara-NBE, the New Zealander has put himself comfortably in the top 10 in all four sessions over the two days, and was fourth in the final runout.

Combined Wednesday times

Pos Driver                 Car                                 Time       Gap
 1. Max Verstappen         Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW           1m36.553s
 2. Jake Dennis            Carlin Dallara-VW                   1m36.836s  +0.283s
 3. Sean Gelael            Carlin Dallara-VW                   1m37.049s  +0.496s
 4. Antonio Giovinazzi     Carlin Dallara-VW                   1m37.055s  +0.502s
 5. Antonio Fuoco          Prema Dallara-Mercedes              1m37.071s  +0.518s
 6. Gustavo Menezes        Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW           1m37.108s  +0.555s
 7. Nick Cassidy           T-Sport Dallara-NBE                 1m37.116s  +0.563s
 8. Jordan King            Carlin Dallara-VW                   1m37.144s  +0.591s
 9. Lucas Auer             Mucke Dallara-Mercedes              1m37.163s  +0.610s
10. Felix Rosenqvist       Mucke Dallara-Mercedes              1m37.273s  +0.720s
11. Felix Serralles        West-Tec Dallara-Mercedes           1m37.341s  +0.788s
12. Esteban Ocon           Prema Dallara-Mercedes              1m37.342s  +0.789s
13. Nicholas Latifi        Prema Dallara-Mercedes              1m37.393s  +0.840s
14. Tom Blomqvist          Carlin Dallara-VW                   1m37.419s  +0.866s
15. Alexander Toril        T-Sport Dallara-NBE                 1m37.455s  +0.902s
16. Marvin Kirchhofer      Motopark Dallara-VW                 1m37.497s  +0.944s
17. Ed Jones               Carlin Dallara-VW                   1m37.498s  +0.945s
18. Tatiana Calderon       Zeller (Mucke) Dallara-Mercedes     1m37.535s  +0.982s
19. Spike Goddard          T-Sport Dallara-NBE                 1m37.559s  +1.006s
20. Will Buller            Signature Dallara-VW                1m37.605s  +1.052s
21. Dennis van de Laar     Prema Dallara-Mercedes              1m37.625s  +1.072s
22. Jules Szymkowiak       Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW           1m37.709s  +1.156s
23. Roy Nissany            Mucke Dallara-Mercedes              1m37.796s  +1.243s
24. Santino Ferrucci       Fortec Dallara-Mercedes             1m38.223s  +1.670s
25. Sergio Sette Camara    EuroInternational Dallara-Mercedes  1m38.404s  +1.851s
26. Nicolas Pohler         West-Tec Dallara-Mercedes           1m38.639s  +2.086s
27. Michele Beretta        EuroInternational Dallara-Mercedes  1m38.751s  +2.198s
28. Martin Cao             Fortec Dallara-Mercedes             1m38.784s  +2.231s
29. Sandro Zeller          Zeller Dallara-Mercedes             1m38.856s  +2.303s