Jazeman Jaafar moves to the front in Pau Formula 3 Grand Prix practice
Jazeman Jaafar and Carlos Sainz Jr soundly disproved Daniel Juncadella's smooth-is-best theory from Friday morning by opposite-locking their way to the top two times in second free practice for the Pau Grand Prix
The Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen duo headed Fortec Motorsport's Alex Lynn and another Carlin driver, Jack Harvey, as drivers from the British Formula 3 International Series took a top-four wipeout against their counterparts from the European F3 Championship.
After going fastest in baking 34-degree heat, Jaafar acknowledged the benefit of his experience from racing in Pau last year. "It's a good start to the weekend," said the Malaysian. "We mentally and physically prepared well with the team. I knew Dani Juncadella would be quick but in Pau you just have to put your sectors together and manage the traffic.
"It's really hot though. Towards the end I couldn't feel my legs because of the heat running down from the tub."
As drivers' concentration faded in the heat, Lynn was one a collection of drivers to hit the barriers when he got a mite off line at Parc Beaumont and clouted the left side of his Dallara-Mercedes. Meanwhile, morning pacesetter Juncadella and Harry Tincknell both crashed.
That meant that Juncadella ended up eighth fastest, behind Mucke Motorsport duo Felix Rosenqvist and Pascal Wehrlein and Prema team-mate Raffaele Marciello.
Free practice was given further significance as the combined results of the two sessions are being used to divide the grid into two groups for Saturday qualifying. The first, third, fifth etc drivers from Friday will go in one group, with those in even-numbered positions in the other.
Despite the accidents, everyone improved in the afternoon except Spike Goddard, who after his appendix operation ended up last in the times. His morning time would also put him last, meaning that the afternoon positions can be used to determine the qualifying groups.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Jazeman Jaafar Carlin Dallara-VW 1m11.784s 2. Carlos Sainz Jr Carlin Dallara-VW 1m11.926s + 0.142s 3. Alex Lynn Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m11.966s + 0.182s 4. Jack Harvey Carlin Dallara-VW 1m12.095s + 0.311s 5. Felix Rosenqvist Mucke Dallara-Merc 1m12.105s + 0.321s 6. Pascal Wehrlein Mucke Dallara-Merc 1m12.194s + 0.410s 7. Raffaele Marciello Prema Dallara-Merc 1m12.341s + 0.557s 8. Daniel Juncadella Prema Dallara-Merc 1m12.427s + 0.643s 9. Hannes van Asseldonk Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m12.689s + 0.905s 10. Felix Serralles Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m12.697s + 0.913s 11. Harry Tincknell Carlin Dallara-VW 1m12.917s + 1.133s 12. Sven Muller Prema Dallara-Merc 1m12.941s + 1.157s 13. Pipo Derani Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m13.040s + 1.256s 14. Fahmi Ilyas Double R Dallara-Merc 1m13.141s + 1.357s 15. Michael Lewis Prema Dallara-Merc 1m13.142s + 1.358s 16. Pietro Fantin Carlin Dallara-VW 1m13.186s + 1.402s 17. Emil Bernstorff Ma-Con Dallara-VW 1m13.246s + 1.462s 18. Andrea Roda Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc 1m13.473s + 1.689s 19. Nick McBride T-Sport Dallara-Nissan 1m13.568s + 1.784s 20. Tom Blomqvist Ma-Con Dallara-VW 1m14.113s + 2.329s 21. Geoff Uhrhane Double R Dallara-Merc 1m14.169s + 2.385s 22. Sandro Zeller Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc 1m14.221s + 2.437s 23. Duvashen Padayachee Double R Dallara-Mugen* 1m15.280s + 3.496s 24. Spike Goddard T-Sport Dallara-Mugen* 1m15.820s + 4.036s * National class
Share Or Save This Story
BTCC Donington Park: Rowbottom gives Plato’s team a debut win after Ingram penalty
BTCC Donington Park: Ingram leads Cook and Plato Mercedes pair in practice; 2027 calendar revealed
How the return of one of UK racing’s biggest names looks set to shake up the BTCC
Renger van der Zande and Meyer Shank Racing win Long Beach IMSA race
Driver dies following multi-car crash in Nürburgring 24h Qualifiers race
What’s going on at Aston Martin – and how does the team find a way out of its hole?
BTCC Donington Park: Rowbottom gives Plato’s team a debut win after Ingram penalty
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments