F3: Hughes beats out Zendeli by 0.008s in Mugello Free Practice

All eyes may be on the six title contenders in Mugello, but none of them could go fastest in the first session of the season finale, as HWA RACELAB’s Jake Hughes (above) beat out Trident’s Lirim Zendeli in FIA Formula 3 Free Practice. Hughes led almost the entire session and finished on 1:36.423, just 0.008s faster than Zendeli, with the Hitech Grand Prix of Dennis Hauger another tenth back.

F3 enjoyed the luxury of the maiden voyage around Mugello, and it was the Charouz of Michael Belov who took us on the first full lap of the beautiful Tuscan circuit. Hauger was the first to set a flyer, taking the time down to 1:39.077, as the field began to get a feel for the circuit.

There were only 28 cars out on track, as Hitech Grand Prix haven’t entered a driver in car no.4 for the weekend, while Igor Fraga did not take part in the session for Charouz.

Most of the grid were keen to get out there, having no previous experience of the circuit in F3 machinery. Jake Hughes took an entire second out of the quickest lap time, slicing it down to 1:38.011.

The Briton – who raced at Mugello with HWA in the Formula Regional Championship last season – appeared to be the most comfortable driver out on track. The Round 8 race winner took another chunk out of the fastest time, lapping at 1:36.423.

Trident were also looking quick on home soil, as David Beckmann and Zendeli ran second and third, but no one was able to match Hughes’ lap time, with both drivers running two tenths slower.

LirimZendeli of Germany and Trident (10) leads Dennis Hauger of Norway (Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

The quick lap times cooled significantly in the second half of FP, as the field focused on getting to grips with the new circuit. Hauger – who also had experience of Mugello from last season, in Italian F4 – had another attempt at stealing first place, but fell a tenth short of Hughes’ marker and took second. Zendeli was the only other driver to truly have a final stab at taking P1, and got closer than Hauger, but was still 0.008s slower.

Beckmann finished behind them in fourth, ahead of Théo Pourchaire, who was the highest placed of the title contenders.

Matteo Nannini continued his recent upturn of form, with a P6 finish, ahead of Sebastián Fernández, Logan Sargeant, Frederik Vesti and Liam Lawson. Championship leader, Oscar Piastri, was back in P13.

With four vital Championship points at stake for pole position, the final qualifying session of the season looks set to be an unmissable battle, when action resumes at 2.05pm (local time).

Practice Results

Pos No. Driver Team LAPS TIME GAP INT.
1 15 J. Hughes HWA RACELAB 14 1:36.423 0.000s 0.000s
2 10 L. Zendeli Trident 18 1:36.431 0.008 0.008
3 6 D. Hauger Hitech Grand Prix 20 1:36.554 0.131 0.123
4 11 D. Beckmann Trident 18 1:36.619 0.196 0.065
5 7 T. Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 19 1:36.680 0.257 0.061
6 22 M. Nannini Jenzer Motorsport 17 1:36.813 0.390 0.133
7 9 S. Fernández ART Grand Prix 19 1:36.861 0.438 0.048
8 3 L. Sargeant PREMA Racing 17 1:36.871 0.448 0.010
9 2 F. Vesti PREMA Racing 16 1:36.880 0.457 0.009
10 5 L. Lawson Hitech Grand Prix 19 1:36.907 0.484 0.027
11 25 M. Belov Charouz Racing System 20 1:37.086 0.663 0.179
12 16 J. Doohan HWA RACELAB 15 1:37.113 0.690 0.027
13 1 O. Piastri PREMA Racing 17 1:37.167 0.744 0.054
14 17 R. Verschoor MP Motorsport 21 1:37.168 0.745 0.001
15 29 A. Peroni Campos Racing 16 1:37.195 0.772 0.027
16 14 E. Fittipaldi HWA RACELAB 15 1:37.315 0.892 0.120
17 27 D. Schumacher Carlin Buzz Racing 15 1:37.326 0.903 0.011
18 8 A. Smolyar ART Grand Prix 19 1:37.342 0.919 0.016
19 12 O. Caldwell Trident 18 1:37.351 0.928 0.009
20 23 R. Stanek Charouz Racing System 16 1:37.559 1.136 0.208
21 19 L. Dunner MP Motorsport 18 1:37.575 1.152 0.016
22 21 F. Malvestiti Jenzer Motorsport 18 1:37.749 1.326 0.174
23 18 B. Viscaal MP Motorsport 21 1:37.944 1.521 0.195
24 20 C. Williams Jenzer Motorsport 19 1:38.013 1.590 0.069
25 26 C. Novalak Carlin Buzz Racing 20 1:38.144 1.721 0.131
26 31 S. Floersch Campos Racing 18 1:38.278 1.855 0.134
27 28 C. Das Carlin Buzz Racing 16 1:38.800 2.377 0.522
28 30 A. Deledda Campos Racing 19 1:38.908 2.485 0.108
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