The first FIA European Formula 3 Championship event at the Moscow Raceway in Russia saw current Championship leader Esteban Ocon top the opening free practice session of the weekend, while Briton Tom Blomqvist took over in the second session.
The field has been reduced to twenty cars for this event, with Fortec Motorsports, Double R Racing and ThreeBond with T-Sport all opting to miss the event, as well as Sandro Zeller of Jo Zeller Racing, while Ed Jones remains absent as he continues to recover from the back injury caused at Pau earlier in the season.
Prema Powerteam driver Ocon was on the pace straight away, setting the best time of 1:27.598s in the first session to finish ahead of Jagonya Ayam with Carlin driver Blomqvist, while Dutch sensation Max Verstappen, winner of the last six races, was third for Van Amersfoort Racing.
Jordan King was the leading Carlin driver in fourth, with Dennis van de Laar sixth for Prema Powerteam. Antonio Giovinazzi was seventh fastest for Jagonya Ayam with Carlin, ahead of the leading Mücke Motorsport machine of Austrian Lucas Auer, who currently sits third in the championship behind Ocon and Verstappen. Jake Dennis of Carlin, Antonio Fuoco of Prema Powerteam and Jules Szymkowiak of Van Amersfoort Racing rounded out the top ten.
Blomqvist took the best time in the second session, becoming the first driver to dip underneath 1:27s, his 1:26.969s lap 0.181s faster than Fuoco in second, with Ocon third, King fourth and Auer improving to fifth.
Dennis was sixth, ahead of Mücke Motorsport driver Felix Rosenqvist, while three Dutch drivers, Verstappen, Szymkowiak and Van de Laar, rounded out the top ten.
Moscow Raceway Practice 1 Times (Top 10)
| POS | DRIVER | NAT | TEAM | TIME |
| 1 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | Prema Powerteam | 1:27.598 |
| 2 | Tom Blomqvist | GBR | Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 1:27.659 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | NED | Van Amersfoort Racing | 1:27.672 |
| 4 | Jordan King | GBR | Carlin | 1:27.714 |
| 5 | Dennis van de Laar | NED | Prema Powerteam | 1:27.736 |
| 6 | Antonio Giovinazzi | ITA | Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 1:27.937 |
| 7 | Lucas Auer | AUT | Mücke Motorsport | 1:28.047 |
| 8 | Jake Dennis | GBR | Carlin | 1:28.104 |
| 9 | Antonio Fuoco | ITA | Prema Powerteam | 1:28.170 |
| 10 | Jules Szymkowiak | NED | Van Amersfoort Racing | 1:28.193 |
Moscow Raceway Practice 2 Times (Top 10)
| POS | DRIVER | NAT | TEAM | TIME |
| 1 | Tom Blomqvist | GBR | Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 1:26.969 |
| 2 | Antonio Fuoco | ITA | Prema Powerteam | 1:27.150 |
| 3 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | Prema Powerteam | 1:27.243 |
| 4 | Jordan King | GBR | Carlin | 1:27.345 |
| 5 | Lucas Auer | AUT | Mücke Motorsport | 1:27.355 |
| 6 | Jake Dennis | GBR | Carlin | 1:27.370 |
| 7 | Felix Rosenqvist | SWE | Mücke Motorsport | 1:27.427 |
| 8 | Max Verstappen | NED | Van Amersfoort Racing | 1:27.463 |
| 9 | Jules Szymkowiak | NED | Van Amersfoort Racing | 1:27.578 |
| 10 | Dennis van de Laar | NED | Van Amersfoort Racing | 1:27.697 |
