Pedro Piquet Posts Fastest Time in Free Practice

Pedro Piquet (Van Amersfoort Racing, 0m48.478s) came out on top in free practice of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship at the 2.3 kilometres long Norisring. The Brazilian was 0.031 seconds faster than his nearest rival Callum Ilott (Prema Powerteam, 0m48.509s). The best-placed German in the first event of the 2017 FIA Formula 3 European Championship season on German soil was Maximilian Günther (Prema Powerteam, 0m48.617s), who ended up third. Ferdinand Habsburg (Carlin, 0m48.723s), points’ leader Joel Eriksson (Motopark, 0m48.727s) and Jehan Daruvala (Carlin, 0m48.727s) as the best-placed rookie followed in fourth to sixth place.

While the FIA Formula 3 European Championship already had events in the UK, Italy, France and Hungary this year, this weekend marks the first round in Germany. After Pau in the south of France, it is the second time this season that the young drivers can show their skills at a street circuit.

Last year, Pedro Piquet got his first experience of the Norisring and he put them to good use in free practice. After 80 minutes of practice, the two times’ Formula 3 champion in his home country Brazil was slightly faster than Callum Ilott. Behind local hero Maximilian Günther, Ferdinand Habsburg was the best-placed driver who is making his Norisring debut this year. In fifth and sixth place, Joel Eriksson and Jehan Daruvala posted personal best lap times that were identical to one thousandth of a second. As Eriksson set his time before his Indian rival, the Swede was classified in fifth place.

Harrison Newey (Van Amersfoort Racing, 0m48.743s), Lando Norris (Carlin, 0m48.748s), David Beckmann (Motopark, 0m48.756s) and Guanyu Zhou (Prema Powerteam, 0m48.780s) rounded out the top ten.

 

Free Practice 1

1st – No. 5, Pedro Piquet, BRA, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.357

2nd – No. 96, Joey Mawson*, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.386

3rd – No. 53, Callum Ilott, GBR, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.393

4th – No. 3, Maximilian Günther, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.515

5th – No. 17, Harrison Newey, GBR, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.582

6th – No. 25, Mick Schumacher*, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.745

7th – No. 34, Jake Hughes, GBR, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.753

8th – No. 62, Ferdinand Habsburg, AUT, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 49.901

9th – No. 7, Ralf Aron, EST, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 50.013

10th – No. 99, Nikita Mazepin, RUS, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 50.036

11th – No. 8, Guan Yu Zhou, CHN, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 50.125

12th – No. 31, Lando Norris*, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 50.154

13th – No. 11, Tadasuke Makino, JPN, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 50.274

14th – No. 27, Jehan Daruvala*, IND, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 50.281

15th – No. 1, Joel Eriksson, SWE, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 50.547

16th – No. 33, Marino Sato*, JPN, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 50.584

17th – No. 55, David Beckmann, DEU, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 50.663

18th – No. 47, Keyvan Andres Soori, DEU, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 50.933

 

Free Practice 2

1st – No. 5, Pedro Piquet, BRA, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 48.478

2nd – No. 53, Callum Ilott, GBR, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 48.509

3rd – No. 3, Maximilian Günther, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 48.617

4th – No. 62, Ferdinand Habsburg, AUT, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 48.723

5th – No. 1, Joel Eriksson, SWE, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 48.727

6th – No. 27, Jehan Daruvala*, IND, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 48.727

7th – No. 17, Harrison Newey, GBR, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 48.743

8th – No. 31, Lando Norris*, GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 48.748

9th – No. 55, David Beckmann, DEU, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 48.756

10th – No. 8, Guan Yu Zhou, CHN, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 48.780

11th – No. 33, Marino Sato*, JPN, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 48.845

12th – No. 47, Keyvan Andres Soori, DEU, Motopark, Dallara F317 Volkswagen, 48.879

13th – No. 34, Jake Hughes, GBR, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 48.890

14th – No. 7, Ralf Aron, EST, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 48.94

15th – No. 96, Joey Mawson*, AUS, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 48.972

16th – No. 25, Mick Schumacher*, DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.018

17th – No. 99, Nikita Mazepin, RUS, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.084

18th – No. 11, Tadasuke Makino, JPN, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 Mercedes-Benz, 49.284