Franco Colapinto goes fastest in the final day of Formula 3 post-season testing in Jerez

As the morning session kicked off on the final day of FIA Formula 3 post-season testing in Jerez, Sebastian Montoya held top position within the first half hour, recording a 1:30.759.

The first red flag of the day was then waved as Hadrien David found himself in the wall at the now infamous Jerez turn ten.

Yesterday’s quickest man Gabriel Bortoleto, then took top spot after the session resumed, before a second red flag was then waved after Max Esterson went off at turn fourteen.

Gabriele Mini then went fastest after the restart, until Franco Colapinto then outdid him, setting a 1:29.617 to put him top.

A third red flag was then promoted as Roberto Faria found his car stuck in the gravel at turn five.

A large portion of the morning session was occupied by pit stop practice, however there was still time for a fourth red flag, as Nicola Marinangeli beached his Charouz car at turn eight. 

A colossal fifth red flag was then shown with around eleven minutes remaining in the morning session, as Hadrien David, met the gravel at turn ten.

Colapinto ended the morning session on top with his earlier time followed by Oliver Goethe, Bortoleto, Mini and Josep María Martí, who rounded out the top five for Campos Racing.

Taylor Barnard  went to the top of the times as the test resumed for the afternoon session, setting a 1:31.280. Martí and Hugh Barter followed around the hour mark for a Campos Racing 2-3.

Martí continued his strong performance from the morning session but was unable to take top spot from Barnard, recording a 1:31.489.

Barter was the first to break the fifty-lap barrier with just over 10 minutes left of the test, as Campos Racing continued to gather valuable data ahead of the 2023 season.

There were no Red Flags in the afternoon session, greatly contrasting the chaotic morning session, but a brief yellow was thrown to recover Brad Benavides’ ART Grand Prix car after he nosed the barriers at Turn five with five minutes to go.

By the checkered flag, it was Zak O’Sullivan who topped the lap count, recording fifty laps in his PREMA Racing car. Barnard’s earlier time stood up as the best of the afternoon, with his 1:31.280 two-tenths quicker than closest challenger Martí.