Testing report
FIA F3 Estoril March testing
Fuoco fastest on day one in Estoril
Carlin’s Antonio Fuoco quickest in Portuguese pre-season testing
Edited: Mar 19, 2015, 2:59 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Ferrari Academy Driver Antonio Fuoco recorded the best laptime on day one of pre-season testing in Estoril. The Italian’s fastest lap was 1:28.410 around the Portuguese track. ART Grand Prix’s Marvin Kirchhöfer and Arden International’s Emil Bernstorff completed the top three times and were covered by just 0.023s in a closely fought afternoon session. Colombian debutant Oscar Tunjo set the pace in the morning test for Trident.
After heavy rain had fallen overnight, the track was very damp meaning a quiet start to proceedings. Once the drivers set their installation laps it was a case of waiting for the circuit to dry. With one hour left on the clock, Sandy Stuvik from Status Grand Prix was the first driver to brave running on the slick Pirelli tyre and he jumped to P1. Jenzer Motorsport’s rookie Ralph Boschung was next to head the timesheet as the teams faced the tricky dilemma of whether to run on track with dark clouds looming. Pirelli supplied the teams with five sets of Medium compounds for this test.
Busy track
As the clock ticked down, the track became busier as the drivers began their slick tyre runs and the times tumbled. Alex Fontana (Status Grand Prix) was the first driver to break into the 1m29’s, lapping four tenths faster than newly signed Carlin driver Jann Mardenborough. There was a short stoppage when Seb Morris spun at Turn 4 but the Brit was able to continue in the session.
With ten minutes remaining, Tunjo posted a laptime of 1:29.061 to go top with his teammate Luca Ghiotto up to third. There was a red flag in the final moments when Zaid Ashkanani (Campos Racing) spun into the gravel at Turn 13.
That marked the end of the morning test as the teams and drivers had a two hour break before the afternoon session commenced. Tunjo topped the times ahead of Fontana, Ghiotto, Mardenborough, Jimmy Eriksson, Esteban Ocon, Mitchell Gilbert, Bernstorff, Ralph Boschung and Kirchhöfer.
Fuoco was first to lap in the 1m29’s in the afternoon session before Mardenborough broke into the 1m28s bracket, closely followed by Kirchhöfer. The German brought out the third red flag of the day after stopping at Turn 5. There was another brief stop when Artur Janosz spun his Trident machine.
Final positions
Fuoco reclaimed his place at the head of the timings at the midway point with Bernstorff rising to second before Kirchhöfer displaced the Brit. Matheo Tuscher stopped on track at turn 4 leaving a five minute shootout for the drivers to do their best to improve.
At the chequered flag Fuoco had claimed P1 ahead of Kirchhöfer, Bernstorff, Ghiotto, Mardenborough, Ocon, Boschung, Eriksson, Tunjo and Tuscher.
The second and final day of the Estoril pre-season test will commence at 09.00 local time and finish at 12.00. There will be a 1 hour break with the afternoon session running from 13.00 – 16.00.
GP3 Series
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Bernstorff completes Arden International’s GP3 challenge
Next article Boschung sets the pace on day two in Estoril
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jimmy Eriksson
HTP to break off Blancpain champion duo Buhk and Baumann
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Mar 27, 2017
HTP to break off Blancpain champion duo Buhk and Baumann
Eriksson abandons final two rounds of GP2 campaign
FIA F2
FIA F2
Sepang
Sep 27, 2016
Eriksson abandons final two rounds of GP2 campaign
Arden signs Eriksson and Jeffri for GP2 campaign
FIA F2
FIA F2 Apr 29, 2016
Arden signs Eriksson and Jeffri for GP2 campaign
Latest news
Carson Hocevar and Cleetus McFarland win LeMullets 2026 in epic finish
General
Misc General 3 min
Carson Hocevar and Cleetus McFarland win LeMullets 2026 in epic finish
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
6 h
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
7 h
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
Subscribe and access Motorsport.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.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe