At 9.35 in the morning, the first free practice session of the Formula Regional is on wet asphalt which is hard to dry due to the cold weather and creates many difficulties for the drivers in getting the tires up to temperature. To prevail overall is the deadly Dennis Hauger (Van Amersfoort Racing) who sets the best time in 1'31.263. Behind him Arthur Leclerc (Prema Powerteam), second in the championship, just 22 thousandths from the VAR driver. Third is an excellent Jamie Laura Chadwick (Prema Powerteam) who stoppes the clock at 1'31.403. In the first session, the championship leader Gianluca Petecof is only fifth, with 1'31.525.

 

The Brazilian relaunches himself in the second session, where times drop by more than 2 seconds and the Prema driver sets the best time of the day with 1'29.056, followed by a pounding Hauger (1'29.287) and Patrik Pasma (KIC Motorsport - 1'29.388), who in the last few rounds has proved to be really fast and effective (dominant at Imola with two wins). Leclerc in the second session is only fifth with 1'29.607.

But it is tomorrow (rain forecast) that things get serious starting at 9.00 with the two qualifying practice sessions.