Friday practice: Wilson on the pace

Former British F3 race winner Narain Karthikeyan was third fastest, over half-a-second off Wilson's time, with Ander Vilarino, former German F3 champion Bas Leinders and 2001 Korean International F3 race winner Jonathan Cochet completing the top six.

Rodrigo Sperafico, making his first appearance in the series replacing Angel Burgueno, who injured his collar bone in a karting accident in the run up to the weekend, was eighth fastest behind championship-chasing Frenchman Franck Montagny.

"The Dallara Nissan car requires a very different driving style," said International F3000 regular Sperafico. "You go into the corners carrying far more speed than in the F3000 Lola. I am delighted with the car that my team, Repsol Meycom, have given me."

Zonta leads the championship by 26 points from Leinders and Montagny, with Wilson almost 100 points off the top of the standings in fourth place overall.



Ricardo Zonta (Gabord Competition), 1m31.452s
Justin Wilson (Racing Engineering), 1m31.653s
Narain Karthikeyan (TT RC Motorsport), 1m32.151s
Ander Vilarino (Epsilon by Graff), 1m32.171s
Bas Leinders (KTR), 1m32.359s
Jonathan Cochet (GD Racing), 1m32.399s
Franck Montagny (Racing Engineering), 1m32.452s
Rodrigo Sperafico (Team Repsol Meycom), 1m32.673s
Jean-Christophe Ravier (Epsilon by Graff), 1m32.680s
Antonio Garcia (Adrian Campos Motorsport), 1m32.713s