Doohan dominates first day of Jerez F3 test

FIA Formula 3 went from their opening round of 2021 in Barcelona to Jerez for a two-day test which gives drivers and teams a chance to change things after the first weekend of racing.

They not only could tweak things that didn’t quite go to plan in Barcelona, but they also got their first laps on the Pirelli medium tyres, to be used later this year at the Red Bull Ring for round three.

Quickest to adapt to the yellow-striped tyres was Jack Doohan of Trident as he edged out his teammate Clément Novalak. Both drivers were among the fastest in the field at the opening round as they both sit within the top five in the standings after three races.

Doohan in particular warmed to the Jerez circuit as he topped both the morning and afternoon sessions despite differing conditions throughout the day.

Frederik Vesti would have been disappointed to only come away from Catalunya in seventh in the standings despite a race two podium in his ART and he was third again today.

His teammate Aleksandr Smolyar, who won the first race of the year on Saturday morning, was fifth with Carlin’s Red Bull junior Jonny Edgar wedged in between the duo. Edgar started race one on reverse grid pole and took advantage with two solid points finishes.

Ayumu Iwasa followed Edgar home in race two in seventh and the Japanese driver, also with Red Bull, was sixth quickest and best of the Hitech GP machines who hoped for better in Barcelona.

As did Jenzer who were one of two teams not to score points along with Campos but there were encouraging signs in Jerez as Calan Williams was seventh fastest with Pierre-Louis Chovet ninth.

Caio Collet scored a rookie podium in Barcelona and he split the Jenzer’s in eighth while Jak Crawford was tenth fastest. Championship leader Dennis Hauger was 29th as he opted not to push for a good lap time as did his PREMA teammates Arthur Leclerc and Olli Caldwell and Victor Martins who also scored a podium in his first F3 weekend.