Trummer tops Spa IFM practice

The Iris Project driver knocked reigning Formula BMW Americas champion Alex Rossi off top spot by just one hundredth of a second in the final moments of the session.

Rossi looked to have the top spot in his pocket after moving to the head of the timesheet mid-session, but had to settle for second place ahead of Bulgarian Vladimir Arabadzhiev, who was almost seven-tenths of a second behind him.

Josef Kral, who claimed his first win of the year last time out at the Hungaroring and lies second in the championship, was fourth fastest behind JD Motorsport team-mate Arabadzhiev.

Championship leader Fabio Leimer, who can seal the championship this weekend with two events to spare, could manage only sixth behind former F3 Euro Series rookie champion Erik Janis, with Pal Varhaug, who still remains in title contention, claiming seventh.

Trummer's team-mate, Patrick Reiterer, managed eighth on the grid, just four-thousandths of a second behind Varhaug, with series returnee Frankie Provenzano ninth ahead of Nicolas Maulini.

McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winner Alex Sims will start 12th on his second appearance of the season as part of IFM's talent support programme after struggling with car problems.

Sims, who claimed his first F3 Euro Series victory at the Nurburgring earlier this month, was slowed by clutch and braking problems throughout the session and spent the majority of it stuck in fourth gear.

Qualifying takes place tomorrow morning - a slot originally billed as the first race - with the second race on grand prix morning.