Bortaletto fastest in F3 at Jerez post season

The Brazilian, who currently competes for R-ace GP in the European Formula One Regional Championship, clocked the fastest time of the three-day test on Thursday morning at 1m29.554s.

Franco CalapintoFriday’s best time was second fastest overall, 1m29.617s in his MP Motorsport car, with Gabriele Mini third for Hitech on Wednesday.

The three-day event featured more than 30 young drivers hoping to take part in the championship in 2023, with at least 10 already competing in the series.

Day 1

Gabriele Mini set the fastest time of the day for Hitech, with the FRECA driver setting 1 min.

He led the day from ART’s Caylen Frederick and Pepe Marti going to Campos, with all the fast times set before lunch.

Frederick was the first driver to raise the red flags, driving through the Turn 6 gravel before Minnie found the barriers at Turn 10 with 50 minutes remaining.

Frederick was fastest in the afternoon, with the 2022 Hitech pilot clocking 1m31.275s in the final hour of the run.

FRECA leader Dino Beganovic was second fastest in the afternoon for ART-piloted Prema Grégoire Saucy in the third.

Sebastian Montoya (Hitech) also found the Turn 10 barriers working in the afternoon with 10 minutes left on the clock.

Day 2

Thursday’s morning session again saw the fastest results as Bortaletto topped the timesheets Trident from 1m29.554s.

Marty was second fastest, ahead of Zach O’Sullivan with 2022 Carlin driver participating in the test with Prema.

The first red flag came after an hour when current ADAC F4 driver Taylor Barnard ran away at Turn 10 in his Jenzer car.

Roberto Faria (ART) then spun out at Turn 8, prompting a short red flag.

Marty ruled the day from Minnie and Paul Aron, who was running for Prema.

Barnard went away again in the afternoon, this time at Turn 8, while Meaney touched the barriers at Turn 10 for his second stop.

Bortaletto brought out a third red flag, also at Turn 10, before Barnard retired at the same spot with 20 minutes remaining.

Day 3

Franco Calapinto, who competed in VAR in 2022, won the final day of testing with a time of 1m29.617s for MP Motorsport during the morning session.

On Friday, he led Euroformula Open driver Oliver Goethe and Bortaletto.

The first red flag came out early in the morning after Hadrien David went into the barrier at Turn 10 in his Carlin, and a second stoppage soon followed when Max Esterson spun out at Turn 14.

After finding himself thrown onto the gravel at Turn 5, Faria brought out the third red flag.

With 30 minutes remaining, Charuzo’s Nicola Marinengelli coasted his car at turn 8, before the proceedings stopped again with 10 minutes remaining thanks to David at turn 10.

Barnard led the afternoon with a time of 1m31.280s ahead of Marty and Racing CompassHugh Barter.

He led the grid for the first half hour in a comparatively calmer afternoon session that saw no red flags, although yellows were thrown out briefly to recover Brad Benavidez‘ ART driven car after it hit turn 5.

Kaylen Frederick, Grand Prix ART

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd