Hartley tops testing at Donington Park

The New Zealander needs a miracle to take the title, going into the weekend 30 points behind championship leader Oliver Turvey with just 42 available. But he made the best possible start, posting a best lap nearly eight tenths of a second quicker than anyone else.

Turvey set the second quickest time of the day, ahead of fellow Carlin Motorsport drivers Sam Abay and Jaime Alguersuari.

Alguersuari is the only other driver with a chance of winning the championship, lying 12 points behind Turvey and was just half a tenth slower than his title rival.

Marcus Ericsson completed the top five for Fortec Motorsport with just 0.052s covering the second to fifth-placed cars.

Dean Smith was the best of the British F3 debutants, finishing ninth in the Fortec car vacated by Sebastian Hohenthal before the last round at Bucharest in August.

Formula Renault race winner Adriano Buzaid topped the National Class for Carlin on his first F3 outing in 12th place overall, with Henry Surtees 18th (fourth in class) in the second National Class Carlin car on his F3 debut.

Pos Driver              Team          Car        Time
 1. Brendon Hartley     Carlin        D/M    1:00.961
 2. Oliver Turvey       Carlin        D/M    1:01.705
 3. Sam Abay            Carlin        D/M    1:01.753
 4. Jaime Alguersuari   Carlin        D/M    1:01.758
 5. Marcus Ericsson     Fortec        D/M    1:01.767
 6. Walter Grubmuller   Hitech        D/M    1:01.953
 7. John Martin         Double R      D/M    1:02.017
 8. Max Chilton         Hitech        D/M    1:02.060
 9. Dean Smith          Fortec        D/M    1:02.123
10. Nick Tandy          JTR           M/M    1:02.203
11. Henry Arundel       Double R      D/M    1:02.433
12. Adriano Buzaid      Carlin (N)    D/H    1:02.563
13. Jay Bridger         Fluid (N)     D/H    1:02.533
14. Philip Major        Fortec        D/M    1:02.592
15. Atte Mustonen       Double R      D/M    1:02.661
16. Oliver Oakes        Eurotek       D/M    1:02.705
17. Steven Guerrero     T-Sport (N)   D/H    1:02.763
18. Henry Surtees       Carlin (N)    D/H    1:02.900
19. Hywel Lloyd         CF (N)        D/H    1:03.056
20. Clemente Faria Jr   Cesario       D/H    1:03.299
21. Stefan Wilson       Fluid (N)     D/H    1:03.452
22. Callum MacLeod      T-Sport (N)   D/H    1:03.478
23. Jonathan Legris     Litespeed (N) S/H    1:04.415

D/M = Dallara Mercedes, M/M = Mygale Mercedes, D/H = Dallara Mugen-Honda,
S/H = SLC Mugen-Honda