Carlin Motorsport’s new signing Carlos Sainz Jr topped the second day of pre-season testing for the British Formula 3 Series at a wet and miserable Snetterton yesterday.
With much of the morning rained out, the Spaniard registered only 23 laps, setting a best of 1:53.749 toward the end of his final stint.
It was not all plain sailing for the Red Bull protégé – an off in the drying conditions damaged the nosecone of the F312,
Harry Tincknell made it a Carlin 1-2, jumping to 2nd spot with his final lap of the day. The Briton’s drying weather laptimes spent much time in the company of teammate Jack Harvey and Fortec pairing Alex Lynn and Pipo Derani.
Tincknell’s last gasp effort – a 1:54.401 – jumped him ahead of Lynn (3rd) and Derani (4th), with Harvey taking a close 5th, proving beyond doubt that he was close to fully recovered from his winter hand injury.
Harvey, meanwhile, only registered seven laps in his F312 Volkswagen, preferring instead to avoid potential on track hazards.
Hannes van Asseldonk continued to bed himself in with the Fortec squad. The Dutch racer secured 7th after logging 44 laps in his Mercedes-powered Dallara, setting a best just under a second shy of the top spot.
From there, the gaps extended, with Felix Serralles (Fortec, 8th) ahead of CF Racing’s Hywel Lloyd*, who busied himself behind the wheel of the team’s Rookie Class F308.
Yesterday’s fastest pilot, Jazeman Jaafar completed only six laps, registering time good enough for 10th spot.
The intensity of the rain at the Norfolk circuit ensured few decided to run during the morning session, with only six of the assembled sixteen drivers setting a lap count in the double figures – indeed van Asseldonk proved to be one of the few who did get some running in.
As a result, the Dutch racer headed the time sheets as the test broke for lunch, although his best was several seconds off the eventual quick pace. John Bryant-Meisner and Mitchel Gilbert completed installation laps in morning, but set no times, while Harvey, Fantin, Jaafar did not venture out at all.
The next British Formula 3 test takes place at Rockingham next week from Tuesday.
* {note 1}
Although CF Racing team boss Hywel Lloyd is by no means a rookie, the British F3 veteran is taking driving the squad’s Rookie Class F308 chassis, while his team continue their search for a driver.
It is expected that CF Racing will field one of three full-time drivers to compete in this year’s Rookie Class division.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap Laps 1. Carlos Sainz Jr Carlin Dallara-VW 1m53.749s 23 2. Harry Tincknell Carlin Dallara-VW 1m54.401s +0.652s 31 3. Alex Lynn Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m54.420s +0.671s 36 4. Pipo Derani Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m54.466s +0.717s 45 5. Jack Harvey Carlin Dallara-VW 1m54.495s +0.746s 7 6. Pietro Fantin Carlin Dallara-VW 1m54.642s +0.893s 13 7. Hannes van Asseldonk Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m54.725s +0.976s 44 8. Felix Serralles Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m55.024s +1.275s 23 9. Hywel Lloyd CF Dallara-Mugen 1m56.144s +2.395s 30 10. Jazeman Jaafar Carlin Dallara-VW 1m56.144s +2.395s 6 11. Richard Bradley Carlin Dallara-VW 1m56.811s +3.062s 31 12. Nick McBride T-Sport Dallara-Mugen 1m57.623s +3.874s 37 13. Spike Goddard T-Sport Dallara-Mugen 1m59.292s +5.543s 34 14. John Bryant-Meisner Performance Dallara-VW 1m59.795s +6.046s 34 15. Yannick Mettler Performance Dallara-VW 2m01.773s +8.024s 48 16. Mitchell Gilbert Performance Dallara-VW 2m09.379s +15.630s 9 Italics = National Class
