Frenchman tops Le Castellet Free Practice

Written by: Fanni Váradi | Photo: Media GP3

The second round of the GP3 season 2018 started today in the south of France at the Circuit Paul Ricard when the drivers headed into the free practice in sunny conditions. Local driver Anthoine Hubert stopped the clock at 1:51.091 at his home circuit closing a gap of almost half a second on his teammate Jake Hughes.
When the red lights went off Hughes opened the first official session followed by his ART counterparts. The Finnish Niko Kari set the first lap clocking in a 2:02.529 to begin the free practice.
A short safety car period pulled back the session before Anthoine Hubert cut the lap times below two minutes showing a 1:55.970 ahead of his teammates Hughes, Ilott and Mazepin putting ART dominating the first 10 minutes.

Ryan Tveter broke the ART’s top time and time before the ARTs once again swarmed the top at the fifteen minute mark, before Dorian Boccolacci leapfrogged the lot prior to a yellow flag period, brought out for the stopped Arden International car of Gabriel Aubry.

Shortly the yellow flag was brought out again following some hydraulic issues for Jenzer Motorsport’s Juan Manuel Correa.
The session then resumed to full-speed running and Dorian Boccolacci improved by two tenths out of his time taking first place before Illot set the pace into the 1:51 overtaking the Frenchman. Illot’s teammates improved taking the place from him and setting it 1-2-3 ART half an hour before the end.
ART dominated the remainder of the session with Hubert taking four tenths out of his fastest lap and jumping ahead of his teammates taking the first position. Hughes heading second-best followed by Nikita Mazepin and Callum Illiot who finished only 0.02 seconds before Dorian Boccolacci.
The program continues with the Qualifying session, taking place at 7pm local time.

Full results:
2018 GP3 Series Round 2 – Le Castellet, France – Free Practice

Driver
Team
Time
Laps
1
Anthoine
Hubert
ART Grand
Prix
1:51.091
17
2
Jake
Hughes
ART Grand
Prix
1:51.540
17
3
Nikita
Mazepin
ART Grand
Prix
1:51.577
18
4
Callum
Ilott
ART Grand
Prix
1:51.587
18
5
Dorian
Boccolacci
MP
Motorsport
1:51.607
19
6
Giuliano
Alesi
Trident
1:51.794
18
7
Leonardo
Pulcini
Campos
Racing
1:51.819
16
8
Joey
Mawson
Arden
International
1:51.868
20
9
Niko Kari
MP
Motorsport
1:51.872
19
10
Pedro
Piquet
Trident
1:52.024
18
11
Christian
Lundgaard
MP
Motorsport
1:52.179
20
12
Simo
Laaksonen
Campos
Racing
1:52.195
17
13
Tatiana
Calderon
Jenzer
Motorsport
1:52.221
17
14
Ryan
Tveter
Trident
1:52.276
19
15
David
Beckmann
Jenzer
Motorsport
1:52.581
17
16
Julien
Falchero
Arden
International
1:53.364
18
17
Diego
Menchaca
Campos
Racing
1:54.143
18
18
Gabriel
Aubry
Arden
International
1:54.204
7
19
Alessio
Lorandi
Trident
1:54.559
10
20
Juan
Manuel Correa
Jenzer
Motorsport
1:56.244
10
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