Engel leads opening practice at Monza
Engel has never raced in a Formula 3 car at the home of the Italian Grand Prix but he has raced in Euro F3000, so has some experience of the circuit unlike the driver who was second fastest, Atte Mustonen (#26 Raikkonen Robertson Racing).
The Finn was just 0.035 seconds adrift of Engel and 0.269 seconds ahead of the third fastest driver Alberto Valerio (#22 Carlin Motorsport). Championship leader Marko Asmer (#7 Hitech Racing) was fourth fastest and the last driver to be inside the 2005 British F3 lap record set by that year's champion Alvaro Parente (1m48.149). Asmer, along with Stephen Jelley (#1 Raikkonen Robertson Racing) and Jonathan Kennard (#2 Raikkonen Robertson Racing), took part in the three British F3 races held at Monza two years ago.
Jelley was fifth, just a head of race winners Sam Bird (#3 Carlin Motorsport) and Niall Breen (#21 Carlin Motorsport). Sebastian Hohenthal (#5 Fortec Motorsport) was 8th, ahead of Kennard and his Fortec teammate Greg Mansell (#50 Fortec Motorsport), who rounded out the top 10.
Sergio Perez (#31 T Sport) was the fastest National Class runner, with the Mexican finishing the 45-minute session 0.263 seconds ahead of his championship rival 'Frankie' Cheng (#39 Performance Racing). Double race National Class race winner Mike Meadows (#55 Newnet Raikkonen Robertson Racing) was third quickest, just ahead Hamad Al Fardan (#38 Performance Racing) and Alex Waters (#34 Promatecme).
Albert Costa (#36 Raikkonen Robertson Racing) didn't complete a lap after his car suffered clutch failure at the start of the session. Salman Al Khalifa (#77 Promatecme) will not be taking any part in this weekend’s event.
Qualifying for Round 9 is due to start at 15.15 (local time), with the second 30-minute qualifying session to determine the grid for Round 10 taking place at 17:30.
FREE PRACTICE
1 – 23 – C – Maro ENGEL – GER – 1:47.560 21laps
2 – 26 – C – Atte MUSTONEN – FIN – 1:47.595 – 21 – +0.035
3 – 22 – C – Alberto VALERIO – BRA – 1:47.864 – 22 – +0.304
4 – 7 – C – Marko ASMER – EST – 1:47.988 – 21 – +0.428
5 – 1 – C – Stephen JELLEY – GBR – 1:48.263 – 21 + 0.703
6 – 3 – C – Sam BIRD – GBR – 1:48.388 – 17 – +0.828
7 – 21 – C – Niall BREEN – IRL – 1:48.439 – 22 – +0.879
8 – 5 – C – Sebastian HOHENTHAL – SWE – 1:48.651 – 23 – +1.091
9 – 2 – C – Jonathan KENNARD – GBR – 1:48.938 – 17 – +1.378
10 – 50 – C – Greg MANSELL – GBR – 1:48.946 – 22 – +1.386
11 – 15 – C – Michael DEVANEY – IRL – 1:48.957 – 16 – +1.397
12 – 4 – C – Mario MORAES – BRA – 1:48.978 – 20 – +1.418
13 – 31 – N – Sergio PEREZ – MEX – 1:48.983 – 21 – +1.423
14 – 6 – C – Walter GRUBMULLER – AUT – 1:49.062 – 22 – +1.502
15 – 24 – C – John MARTIN – AUS – 1:49.136 – 17 – +1.576
16 – 39 – N – CHENG Cong Fu – CHN – 1:49.246 – 23 – +1.686
17 – 14 – C – Esteban GUERRIERI – ARG – 1:49.294 – 16 – +1.734
18 – 62 – I – Matteo CHINOSI – ITA – 1:49.715 – 22 – +2.155
19 – 16 – C – Max CHILTON – GBR – 1:49.716 – 22 – +2.156
20 – 55 – N – Michael MEADOWS – GBR – 1:50.118 – 23 – +2.558
21 – 38 – N – Hamad AL FARDAN – BHR – 1:50.527 – 24 – +2.967
22 – 34 – N – Alex WATERS – GBR – 1:50.639 – 20 – +3.079
23 – 44 – C – Leo MANSELL – GBR – 1:50.707 – 21 – +3.147
24 – 69 – I – Dominick MUERMANS – NED – 1:50.832 – 20 – +3.272
25 – 63 – I – Federico GLORIOSO – ITA – 1:50.903 – 24 – +3.343
26 – 10 – C – Ricardo TEIXEIRA – ANG – 1:51.062 – 22 – +3.502
27 – 35 – N – Alistair JACKSON – GBR – 1:51.525 – 22 – +3.965
28 – 9 – C – Rodolfo GONZALEZ – VEN – 1:51.596 – 3 – +4.036
29 – 37 – N – Viktor JENSEN – ISL – 1:51.644 – 19 – +4.084
30 – 33 – N – Juan Pablo GARCIA SAMANO – MEX – 1:51.713 – 18 – +4.153
31 – 12 – C – Sean PETTERSON – RSA – 1:53.770 – 10 – +6.210
32 – 8 – C – Francesco CASTELLACCI – ITA – 1:59.676 – 3 – +12.116