Menasheh Idafar's preparations for the British Formula Three International Series received a boost after logging the second fastest time at the series' test at the Oulton Park International circuit.
The performance was by far the 20-year-old's best since official pre-season testing began, the day ending with the T-Sport driver as the fastest Volkswagen powered runner, seeing off the phalanx of Carlin drivers for the honour.
“My car was perfect from the start this morning, it was amazing all day,” said Idafar. “On older tyres we were really fast, I didn't find quite as much time as I should have done on the newer ones but it's still been an incredible day for us. To be second fastest, and the best of the Volkswagens, is a really great feeling and gives us a lot of confidence.”
He set the crucial time in the first of the day's three sessions – stopping the clock at 1:27.989 round the 2.69 mile Cheshire track – just three-tenths off the fastest time of the day.
Though he ran marginally slower in the latter sessions (1:28.662, 1:28.445) he remained among the fastest drivers on track, fourth and seventh fastest, three- and two-tenths away from the ultimate pace respectively.
Pre-season testing draws to a close on April 5-6 on the new Snetterton 300 layout, before the racing starts on April 16-17 with a trip to Monza. Idafar, and the rest of the grid, will return to Oulton Park for the second round of the season – the first on British soil – over Easter Weekend (April 23-25), though no running will take place on Easter Sunday.
