Monza GP3: Evans kicks off title decider with fastest time in practice
GP3 Series leader Mitch Evans set the pace in Friday's practice for the final rounds at Monza this weekend
The 18-year-old New Zealander moved to the top of the times halfway into the 45-minute session, before dropping down the field as first Tamas Pal Kiss and then one of Evans' title challengers Aaro Vainio went quicker.
Then with a minute to go left in the session Evans produced a 1m44.477s from his MW Arden machine to settle the matter ahead of team-mate Matias Laine, with Lotus GP's Vainio third.
Kiss was unable to respond, having come together with Fabiano Machado's Manor car in the middle of the Ascari chicane, in an incident that was being investigated by the stewards.
Carlin's Alex Brundle was among others that caused yellow flags for offs in the session.
Local boy David Fumanelli was fourth fastest ahead outside title contender Daniel Abt and Dmitry Suranovich, with Kiss eventually dropping to seventh in the fastest of the Atech CRS cars.
Giovanni Venturini, Will Buller and Robert Visoiu completed the top 10, while Antonio Felix da Costa, the series form man and Evans' primary rival could manage no better than 15th, having set the pace in the opening minutes of the session.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Mitch Evans MW Arden 1m44.477s 2. Matias Laine MW Arden 1m44.520s + 0.043s 3. Aaro Vainio Lotus 1m44.621s + 0.144s 4. David Fumanelli MW Arden 1m44.750s + 0.273s 5. Daniel Abt Lotus 1m44.989s + 0.512s 6. Dmitry Suranovich Manor 1m45.098s + 0.621s 7. Tamas Pal Kiss Atech CRS 1m45.163s + 0.686s 8. Giovanni Venturini Trident 1m45.445s + 0.968s 9. Will Buller Carlin 1m45.475s + 0.998s 10. Robert Visoiu Jenzer 1m45.555s + 1.078s 11. Conor Daly Lotus 1m45.654s + 1.177s 12. Alice Powell Status 1m45.657s + 1.180s 13. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer 1m45.684s + 1.207s 14. Marlon Stockinger Status 1m45.695s + 1.218s 15. Antonio Felix da Costa Carlin 1m45.778s + 1.301s 16. Kevin Ceccon Ocean 1m45.825s + 1.348s 17. Lewis Williamson Status 1m46.026s + 1.549s 18. Alex Brundle Carlin 1m46.445s + 1.968s 19. Ethan Ringel Atech CRS 1m46.472s + 1.995s 20. Fabiano Machado Manor 1m46.940s + 2.463s 21. Vicky Piria Trident 1m46.962s + 2.485s 22. John Wartique Atech CRS 1m46.963s + 2.486s 23. Carmen Jorda Ocean 1m48.610s + 4.133s 24. Robert Cregan Ocean 1m51.803s + 7.326s 25. Tio Ellinas Manor 1m55.083s + 10.606
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