Carlos Sainz Jr quickest in Silverstone British F3 test
Carlos Sainz Jr became the first man to top two days of British Formula 3 International Series testing this year when he went fastest on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit
The Spaniard, who knows the track well from Formula BMW and Formula Renault, leapt half a second clear with 10 minutes remaining of the session in his Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen.
British team-mates Harry Tincknell and Jack Harvey also improved in the final minutes to fill that half-second breach and complete a one-two-three for Carlin.
The other Carlin drivers, Jazeman Jaafar and Pietro Fantin, could not nail a time within a second off the pace, with a late off for Jaafar causing the final red flag of the running, which all took place in the morning.
That helped Fortec Motorsports driver Alex Lynn and Hannes van Asseldonk move into the top five, although the Daventry team has also made encouraging progress since last week's Rockingham test. Its Mercedes-engined Dallaras were much closer to the pace this time around.
The Nissan-powered Dallara of T-Sport was ninth, driver Nick McBride still feeling his way on a circuit he has only experienced in Formula Ford. Bringing up the rear of the A-class runners was Malaysian Fahmi Ilyas, out for the first time this year in a brand-new Dallara-Mercedes run by Double R Racing.
Spike Goddard topped the National Class for T-Sport, and is set to have a class team-mate for tomorrow's second day of the test in the form of ex-Formula Renault UK ace Dan Cammish, who hopes to complete a deal to start the season.
Session times:
Pos Driver Team/Car Time 1. Carlos Sainz Jr Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m53.193s 2. Harry Tincknell Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m53.393s 3. Jack Harvey Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m53.649s 4. Alex Lynn Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Mercedes 1m53.717s 5. Hannes van Asseldonk Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Mercedes 1m53.841s 6. Jazeman Jaafar Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m54.331s 7. Pietro Fantin Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m54.581s 8. Felix Serralles Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Mercedes 1m54.698s 9. Nick McBride T-Sport Dallara-Nissan 1m54.960s 10. Pipo Derani Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Mercedes 1m55.169s 11. Spike Goddard T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda* 1m55.940s 12. Fahmi Ilyas Double R Racing Dallara-Mercedes 1m56.947s 13. Duvashen Padayachee Double R Racing Dallara-Mugen Honda* 1m57.446s *= National Class
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