Jake Hughes was quickest at the official BRDC Formula 4 pre-season test at Snetterton ahead of this weekend’s opener at Silverstone.
The Lanan Racing driver improved in the final 15 minutes of the afternoon to set an unbeatable 1m51.0009s.
He reckoned he could have gone even faster but was satisfied to come out on top of the new series’ only pre-season test.
“After today I think I can definitely challenge for wins,” he said. “Points are ultimately the main objective but I’m going to be trying to get the most points coming away from the first round.
“It was good to have a first chance to see where everyone is in terms of time, and I think we progressed well throughout the day, switching from used to new tyres to try different set ups, and towards the end of the day I think we found a set up which suits me well.”
Hughes headed a British trio including morning pace-setter Jake Dalton and privateer Matt Bell.
Mexican Diego Menchaca, running with Mark Godwin Racing, was fourth fastest ahead of Ginetta Junior graduates Charlie Robertson and Sennan Fielding.
Newly-confirmed Gustavo Lima was seventh while Pietro Fittipaldi, grandson of F1 legend Emerson was eighth fastest. Matthew Graham and American Falco Wauer rounded out the top ten.
18 drivers completed the test. Hillspeed were absent due to a traffic accident – all parties unhurt – while Comtec‘s sole entry and Chris Dittmann‘s duo have yet to be announced.
BRDC Formula 4 Championship official test, Snetterton 300 – Combined times
1. Jake Hughes Lanan Racing 1m51.009s
2. Jake Dalton Mark Godwin Racing +0.119s
3. Matt Bell MattRBellRacing Team E-Lites +0.474s
4. Diego Menchaca Mark Godwin Racing +0.543s
5. Charlie Robertson HHC Motorsport +0.731s
6. Sennan Fielding Douglas Motorsport +1.056s
7. Gustavo Lima, HHC Motorsport +1.083s
8. Pietro Fittipaldi Mark Godwin Racing +1.158s
9. Matthew Graham Sean Walkinshaw Racing +1.186s
10. Falco Wauer Team KBS +1.566s
11. Raoul Hyman HHC Motorsport +1.682s
12. Ross Gunn Motionsport +2.891s
13. Simon Rudd Motionsport +2.991s
14. Daniel Headlam Lanan Racing +3.207s
15. James Greenway Frank T Greenway Racing +4.016s
16. Matt Dittmann Chris Dittmann Racing +4.285s
17. Zou Sirui Sean Walkinshaw Racing +5.584s
18. Malgosia Rdest Douglas Motorsport +6.891s
