Premat tops Euro test
Marlboro masters winner Alexandre Premat set the pace as the Formula 3 Euroseries teams completed the first of two days testing on the 3.36-mile Brno circuit in the Czech Republic
The Frenchman headed his ASM Formule 3 team-mate and fellow-countryman Eric Salignon at the top of the time sheets as four drivers comfortably outpaced the field when drivers and teams started to prepare themselves for the championship rounds at the circuit on September 17.
"It was hard work today," admitted Premat. "This is my first time here and I'm impressed. It's damn fast and only has one slow turn. It's a lot of fun driving here."
Joining Premat and Salignon in the elite group at the top of the times were Nico Rosberg in his Opel-powered Team Rosberg Dallara and Jamie Green in another Mercedes-motivated ASM car.
Rosberg is second behind comfortable points leader Green in the standings. The Finn commented: "I had a great day. My car already handled very well when I went out for the first time this morning. I set my best time with tyres that were two laps old. Alexandre Premat's time can definitely be beaten..."
Series newboy Kohei Hirate made a solid testing debut with one of the Prema team's Dallara-Opels, setting the 20th best time in a 28-car field.
Britain's other series frontrunner Lewis Hamilton was 11th quickest in the Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mercedes.
Alexandre Premat ASM Dallara-Mercedes 1m51.949s
Eric Salignon ASM D-M 1m52.269d
Nico Rosberg Rosberg D-Opel 1m52.299s
Jamie Green ASM D-M 1m52.359s
Robert Kubica Mucke D-M 1m53.216s
Bruno Spengler Mucke D-M 1m53.311s
Giedo van der Garde Signature D-O 1m53.527s
Franck Perera Prema D-O 1m53.669s
Nicolas Lapierre Signature D-O 1m53.771s
Andreas Zuber Rosberg D-O 1m53.863s
How Campos Racing has bounced back from its devastating loss
After the sudden death of its founder in January, Formula 2 stalwart Campos Racing was left facing its hardest season to date. But new team boss Adrian Jr is determined to honour his father’s legacy and has returned the team to its winning ways
How F2 and F3's flawed format changes could prove shortlived
After a chaotic 2020, marred by the coronavirus pandemic, the FIA brought in radical changes to Formula 2 and 3. But less than 12 months later, there are talks of them being reversed after all did not go to plan…
How the latest 'son of' youngster found his feet in F3
After a promising start to his single-seater racing career, life in the Formula 1 feeder series gave Jack Doohan a reality check. But, following a year of learning and toiling, the driver with one of the most famous surnames on the Formula 3 grid isn’t feeling the weight of expectation pushing down too hard on him any longer
The Monaco win that started another triple crown
30 years ago, victory in the Monaco Grand Prix-supporting Formula 3 race – then a showpiece invitational event – began a young Jorg Muller’s pursuit of a unique set of street circuit wins that he’d later complete at Macau and Pau
How two F3 stars face new challenges from very different perspectives
ART Grand Prix team-mates Frederik Vesti and Juan Manuel Correa's paths to the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Championship grid couldn’t have been further apart, but both are using the same focus for different goals
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
