The revitalised FIA European Formula 3 Championship looks set to have a full grid of thirty entrants for the 2013 season.
In recent days, family-run squad Jo Zeller Racing confirmed Sandro Zeller for a full campaign, while URD Rennsport are continuing with Lucas Wolf.
Joining the fray this year will be the Romeo Ferraris-Mercedes team, who will be fielding a two-car effort.
The first seat at Romeo Ferraris has already being filled by Superstars race winner Michela Cerruti, while according to Autosport {note 1}, the second entry may be filled by American racer Michael Lewis.
The first of two pre-season tests ran at the Circuit de Catalunya on Friday and Saturday with Raffaele Marciello and Will Buller laying down the fast laps.
As expected Alex Lynn ran Marciello close in the times, but the real surprise came from Formula 3 newboy Jordan King, who managed 2nd overall on day two, just behind Buller.
Josh Hill’s lost time on the opening day when his Fortec machine caught fire, but there was drama for Double R’s Antonio Giovinazzi who crashed heavily on Saturday morning, ruling him out of the rest of the day.
The final test comes in a week’s time, when the field reconvenes for two days of running at Monza prior to the opening round.
{note 1}
“Michael Lewis confident of making F3 European Championship grid” (Autosport, Jamie O’Leary)
2013 FIA European F3 Championship (1st pre-season test; March 8-9; Barcelona; combined times)
Pos Driver Team/Car Time 1. Will Buller T-Sport Dallara-Nissan 1m40.812s 2. Jordan King Carlin Dallara-VW 1m40.997s 3. Harry Tincknell Carlin Dallara-VW 1m41.021s 4. Raffaele Marciello Prema Dallara-Merc 1m41.023s 5. Sven Muller Ma-con Dallara-VW 1m41.159s 6. Tom Blomqvist EuroIntern'l Dallara-Merc 1m41.191s 7. Nicholas Latifi Carlin Dallara-VW 1m41.195s 8. Dennis van de Laar Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW 1m41.208s 9. Antonio Giovinazzi Double R Dallara-Merc 1m41.374s 10. Pipo Derani Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m41.379s 11. Pascal Wehrlein Mucke Dallara-Merc 1m41.389s 12. Jann Mardenborough Carlin Dallara-VW 1m41.401s 13. Lucas Auer Prema Dallara-Merc 1m41.433s 14. Alex Lynn Prema Dallara-Merc 1m41.441s 15. Mans Grenhagen Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW 1m41.466s 16. Felix Rosenqvist Mucke Dallara-Merc 1m41.508s 17. Eddie Cheever Prema Dallara-Merc 1m41.771s 18. Roy Nissany Mucke Dallara-Merc 1m41.812s 19. Felix Serralles Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m41.882s 20. Tatiana Calderon Double R Dallara-Merc 1m41.893s 21. Sean Gelael Double R Dallara-Merc 1m41.946s 22. Andre Rudersdorf Ma-con Dallara-VW 1m41.976s 23. Mitchell Gilbert Mucke Dallara-Merc 1m41.984s 24. Spike Goddard T-Sport Dallara-Nissan 1m41.999s 25. Josh Hill Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m42.416s 26. Dmitry Suranovich Fortec Dallara-Merc 1m42.813s 27. Michael Lewis Ferraris Dallara-Merc 1m42.997s (Day 2) 28. Riccardo Agostini Ferraris Dallara-Merc 1m43.044s (Day 1) 29. Michela Cerruti Ferraris Dallara-Merc 1m43.693s
