Nico Muller set the pace in first free practice ahead of the final round of the GP3 season at Monza.
The Swiss Jenzer Motorsport driver set his fastest time in the closing stages of the session, ending up 0.166 seconds quicker than Adrian Quaife-Hobbs of Manor Racing.
Title rivals and ART teammates Valtteri Bottas and James Calado were third and fourth quickest, with 0.080s separating them. Bottas leads Calado by five points arriving in Monza.
Aaro Vainio was fifth fastest for Tech 1 Racing, one place ahead of Lewis Williamson, with Marlon Stockinger and Mitch Evans completing the top eight. Tom Dillmann was ninth and Michael Christensen tenth.
Vittorio Ghirelli was 26th for his new team Addax, while 48-year-old debutant Christophe Hurni was last of the 30 runners. He was only 3.437s slower than teammate Muller and just 0.008 behind local racer Daniel Mancinelli, although the Mucke driver only managed four laps.
Practice 1 times:
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
| 1 | Nico Muller | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:43.961 | 14 | |
| 2 | Adrian Quaife-Hobbs | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:44.127 | 0.166 | 15 |
| 3 | Valtteri Bottas | Lotus ART | 1:44.341 | 0.380 | 13 |
| 4 | James Calado | Lotus ART | 1:44.421 | 0.460 | 13 |
| 5 | Aaro Vainio | Tech 1 Racing | 1:44.424 | 0.463 | 13 |
| 6 | Lewis Williamson | MW Arden | 1:44.518 | 0.557 | 15 |
| 7 | Marlon Stockinger | Atech CRS GP | 1:44.568 | 0.607 | 14 |
| 8 | Mitch Evans | MW Arden | 1:44.634 | 0.673 | 15 |
| 9 | Tom Dillmann | Addax Team | 1:44.714 | 0.753 | 14 |
| 10 | Michael Christensen | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 1:44.715 | 0.754 | 14 |
| 11 | Antonio Felix Da Costa | Status Grand Prix | 1:44.742 | 0.781 | 15 |
| 12 | Simon Trummer | MW Arden | 1:44.778 | 0.817 | 15 |
| 13 | Richie Stanaway | Lotus ART | 1:44.930 | 0.969 | 13 |
| 14 | Gabby Chaves | Addax Team | 1:44.963 | 1.002 | 14 |
| 15 | Conor Daly | Carlin | 1:44.999 | 1.038 | 14 |
| 16 | Alexander Sims | Status Grand Prix | 1:45.020 | 1.059 | 14 |
| 17 | Rio Haryanto | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:45.100 | 1.139 | 15 |
| 18 | Nigel Melker | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 1:45.185 | 1.224 | 14 |
| 19 | Ivan Lukashevich | Status Grand Prix | 1:45.238 | 1.277 | 13 |
| 20 | Thomas Hylkema | Tech 1 Racing | 1:45.274 | 1.313 | 14 |
| 21 | Callum MacLeod | Carlin | 1:45.275 | 1.314 | 14 |
| 22 | Maxim Zimin | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:45.400 | 1.439 | 14 |
| 23 | Matias Laine | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:45.429 | 1.468 | 14 |
| 24 | Tamas Pal Kiss | Tech 1 Racing | 1:45.570 | 1.609 | 9 |
| 25 | Zoel Amberg | Atech CRS GP | 1:45.600 | 1.639 | 15 |
| 26 | Vittorio Ghirelli | Addax Team | 1:45.730 | 1.769 | 14 |
| 27 | Nick Yelloly | Atech CRS GP | 1:45.864 | 1.903 | 15 |
| 28 | Leonardo Cordeiro | Carlin | 1:46.126 | 2.165 | 14 |
| 29 | Daniel Mancinelli | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 1:47.390 | 3.429 | 4 |
| 30 | Christophe Hurni | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:47.398 | 3.437 | 15 |
