GP3 testing: Leonardo Pulcini 0.012s faster than Callum Ilott
Campos Racing driver Leonardo Pulcini topped the timesheets on the opening day of the final pre-season GP3 test at Barcelona by just 0.012 seconds from Callum Ilott

Pulcini left it late to knock ART Grand Prix man Ilott off the top of the times, setting a best effort of 1m32.785s in the final five minutes of an extended afternoon session.
Drivers did not attempt any slick-tyre runs until the final part of the morning session because of dirty track conditions caused by the recent World Rallycross round, and the lack of early action prompted a one-hour extension to the day's running.
ART's Jake Hughes was the first driver to break the 1m33s barrier with a 1m32.971s, but Ilott knocked his team-mate off the top spot with a little under half an hour to run.
Another ART driver, Nikita Mazepin, also beat Hughes' time to slot into third, 0.051s slower than Ilott and within a tenth of Pulcini's benchmark.
Hughes remained fourth, while Giuliano Alesi was the best of the Trident contingent in fifth place despite causing a red flag by going off in the gravel in the afternoon.
Antoine Hubert also brought afternoon proceedings to a halt by hitting the wall, and finished the day in seventh behind Pedro Piquet.
David Beckmann, morning pacesetter Dorian Boccolacci and former Red Bull junior Niko Kari rounded off the top 10, with all 20 drivers improving in the afternoon session.
MP Motorsport newcomer Will Palmer was 13th-fastest in his first day of GP3 testing action, one place behind Sauber Formula 1 test driver Tatiana Calderon.

Previous article
McLaren BRDC Award winner Palmer gets MP Motorsport GP3 test spot
Next article
Hubert tops final day of pre-season testing, Ferrari's Ilott second

About this article
Series | FIA F3 |
Drivers | Leonardo Pulcini , Callum Ilott |
Author | Jamie Klein |
GP3 testing: Leonardo Pulcini 0.012s faster than Callum Ilott
Trending
Why Correa's return is the feelgood story racing needed
Juan Manuel Correa has had a long road to recovery from that horrific day at Spa in 2019. ART's decision to give him his race return in FIA Formula 3 in 2021 is a victory in itself, but his determination will surely - in time - have him fighting for bigger things
Why Piastri's F3 title was better than results suggested
F3 rookie Oscar Piastri only just snatched the 2020 title with Prema Racing, but the setbacks he overcame to do so suggest that Renault's next Australian talent is one destined for the top
The ground-effect wonder behind a generation of F1 stars
Recently named as Autosport's greatest single-seater, Ralt's RT3 launched a plethora of superstar drivers through the early 1980s, and established the constructor as the go-to place for your single-seater weapon
The Macau GP's greatest moments
Coronavirus restrictions mean this weekend's Macau GP will have a very different feel, with the usual F3 jamboree replaced by Chinese F4. But in past years, the event has provided some seminal moments in the careers of future world champions
Rating the prospects of the 2020 F3 title contenders
With the title race finely poised ahead of the final triple-header, a category returnee who raced George Russell in his F3 days lends Autosport his thoughts on the ones to watch
Why "whirlwind" Tauranac's legacy will stand the test of time
The passing of Ralt boss Ron Tauranac last week drew tributes from around the world, not least from the bosses of three prominent teams on whom the Australian designer made a lasting impression
The young driver Red Bull couldn't ignore
Igor Fraga has a more colourful career behind him than any other driver on the FIA Formula 3 grid, and now he's beginning to become as recognised for his talents in real racing as in the virtual world
The new F3 car that has teams purring
Dallara has improved upon its old F3 car with the new 320 for this season's Euroformula Open, ensuring that single-seater competition's 'heritage’ category can race into the future