Joel Eriksson in the mix in close FIA F3 European Championship test

Joel Eriksson enjoyed a strong start to work ahead of his sophomore campaign in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship as he mixed it at the top of the timesheets in opening pre-season testing at the Hungaroring this weekend.

Eriksson, who claimed the rookie title and finished fifth in the overall F3 standings last year, is set to return to the championship for a second season in 2017 after renewing his deal with Team Motopark over the winter.

Official pre-season testing got underway at the Hungaroring on Friday and Saturday, with 19 drivers on site at the Budapest venue to commence preparations for the new campaign.

18-year-old Eriksson proved a regular feature towards the top of the times on both days of running, the Swede opening up proceedings by going fourth quickest on Friday – 0.162s shy of P1.

On Saturday, he then brought the test to a strong close with second place in the concluding afternoon session, ending up just a mere 0.005 seconds behind pace-setter Harrison Newey (GBR).

“It’s good to be back in the car again,” says Joel Eriksson. “I think we’ve had a useful test here in Budapest this weekend. We’ve tried a lot of different things on the set-up; some of them worked, some did not, so in that sense it’s been pretty normal pre-season work really. We learned quite a few things and it’s always nice to put in some good times, but it’s obviously still early days and there’s plenty of room for improvement. All in all, the feeling inside the team remains just as good as last year, and I think we’ve got a solid basis to build on next week. I’m looking forward to it.”

The Budapest test offered early indications that the 2017 campaign could potentially become an exceptionally close affair, with a full 17 drivers covered by just 0.757 seconds in the closing session on Saturday afternoon.

The FIA F3 European Championship fraternity will regroup in just a couple of days, as pre-season testing continues across the Austrian border with another two days of action at the Red Bull Ring (Tuesday-Wednesday). Following the test in Styria, racing will then get underway on April 14-16 with the opening round of the season at Silverstone, UK.

 

Pre-Season Testing Sessions – Day 1, Morning

1^st – No. 31, Lando Norris*, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.893

2^nd – No. 21, Jake Dennis, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.236

3^rd – No. 27, Jehan Daruvala*, IND, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.247

4^th – No. 1, Joel Eriksson, SWE, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.319

5^th – No. 62, Ferdinand Habsburg, AUT, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.390

6^th – No. 17, Harrison Newey, GBR, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.468

7^th – No. 8, Guan Yu Zhou, CHN, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.590

8^th – No. 3, Maximilian Günther, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.757

9^th – No. 96, Joey Mawson*, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz 1:35.827

10^th – No. 99, Nikita Mazepin, RUS, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.860

11^th – No. 53, Callum Ilott, GBR, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.870

12^th – No. 5, Pedro Piquet, BRA, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.923

13^th – No. 7, Ralf Aron, EST, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.979

14^th – No. 34, Jake Hughes, GBR, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:36.022

15^th – No. 25, Mick Schumacher*, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:36.162

16^th – No. 55, David Beckmann, DEU, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:36.166

17^th – No. 11, Tadasuke Makino, JPN, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:36.440

18^th – No. 47, Keyvan Andres Soori, DEU, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen 1:37.012

19^th – No. 33, Marino Sato*, JPN, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:37.420

 

Pre-Season Testing Sessions – Day 1, Afternoon

1^st – No. 96, Joey Mawson*, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz 1:34.952

2^nd – No. 21, Jake Dennis, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.010

3^rd – No. 1, Joel Eriksson, SWE, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.055

4^th – No. 5, Pedro Piquet, BRA, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.055

5^th – No. 17, Harrison Newey, GBR, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.162

6^th – No. 3, Maximilian Günther, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.292

7^th – No. 53, Callum Ilott, GBR, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.316

8^th – No. 31, Lando Norris*, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.323

9^th – No. 8, Guan Yu Zhou, CHN, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.366

10^th – No. 99, Nikita Mazepin, RUS, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.376

11^th – No. 62, Ferdinand Habsburg, AUT, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.398

12^th – No. 55, David Beckmann, DEU, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.488

13^th – No. 25, Mick Schumacher*, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.521

14^th – No. 27, Jehan Daruvala*, IND, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.648

15^th – No. 34, Jake Hughes, GBR, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.802

16^th – No. 11, Tadasuke Makino, JPN, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.842

17^th – No. 47, Keyvan Andres Soori, DEU, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen 1:35.849

18^th – No. 7, Ralf Aron, EST, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.966

19^th – No. 33, Marino Sato*, JPN, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:37.471

 

Pre-Season Testing Sessions – Day 2, Morning

1^st – No. 17, Harrison Newey, GBR, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.012

2^nd – No. 53, Callum Ilott, GBR, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.040

3^rd – No. 31, Lando Norris*, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.125

4^th – No. 8, Guan Yu Zhou, CHN, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.266

5^th – No. 3, Maximilian Günther, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.299

6^th – No. 5, Pedro Piquet, BRA, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.325

7^th – No. 21, Jake Dennis, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.357

8^th – No. 62, Ferdinand Habsburg, AUT, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.386

9^th – No. 27, Jehan Daruvala*, IND, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.487

10^th – No. 96, Joey Mawson*, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz 1:34.492

11^th – No. 99, Nikita Mazepin, RUS, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.548

12^th – No. 25, Mick Schumacher*, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.555

13^th – No. 1, Joel Eriksson, SWE, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.710

14^th – No. 55, David Beckmann, DEU, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.740

15^th – No. 34, Jake Hughes, GBR, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.774

16^th – No. 7, Ralf Aron, EST, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.777

17^th – No. 33, Marino Sato*, JPN, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.979

18^th – No. 11, Tadasuke Makino, JPN, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.049

19^th – No. 47, Keyvan Andres Soori, DEU, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen 1:35.113

 

Pre-Season Testing Sessions – Day 2, Afternoon

1^st – No. 17, Harrison Newey, GBR, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.359

2^nd – No. 1, Joel Eriksson, SWE, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.364

3^rd – No. 8, Guan Yu Zhou, CHN, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.484

4^th – No. 53, Callum Ilott, GBR, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.524

5^th – No. 3, Maximilian Günther, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.552

6^th – No. 34, Jake Hughes, GBR, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.704

7^th – No. 96, Joey Mawson*, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz 1:34.737

8^th – No. 99, Nikita Mazepin, RUS, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.772

9^th – No. 21, Jake Dennis, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.795

10^th – No. 31, Lando Norris*, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.818

11^th – No. 27, Jehan Daruvala*, IND, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.877

12^th – No. 62, Ferdinand Habsburg, AUT, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:34.961

13^th – No. 7, Ralf Aron, EST, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:34.982

14^th – No. 5, Pedro Piquet, BRA, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.014

15^th – No. 25, Mick Schumacher*, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.033

16^th – No. 11, Tadasuke Makino, JPN, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.045

17^th – No. 55, David Beckmann, DEU, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 1:35.116

18^th – No. 33, Marino Sato*, JPN, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 1:35.708

19^th – No. 47, Keyvan Andres Soori, DEU, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen 1:35.825

• = Rookie