Brad Benavides ends Day 1 of damp Imola post-season test on top

Brad Benavides was the fastest driver on Day 1 of running in Imola, with the AIX Racing driver completing a 1:33.022 in the afternoon to take top spot ahead of Rodin Motorsport’s Pedro Clerot.

In the morning however, it was Ugo Ugochukwu that led the way in rainy conditions, the Campos Racing driver quickest with a 1:47.411.

MORNING

Heavy rain and a damp track greeted the drivers at the green light, with the first two hours used for early reconnaissance laps, as the teams tested the conditions.

As the final hour got underway though, the drivers started to set some fast times with Ugochukwu and his Campos Racing teammate Théophile Nael trading fastest times.

The Frenchman then went quickest on a 1:49.629 before returning to the pitlane, only for PREMA Racing’s Louis Sharp to split the top two by going within 0.133s of Nael in P2.

Ugochukwu though improved on his next attempt to back to P1 with a 1:49.240, with James Wharton following him across the line to go second, 0.125s behind.

Wharton and Sharp were the next pair of teammates to trade fastest times, with the Australian over half a second clear out in front thanks to a 1:47.851.

MP Motorsport’s Tuukka Taponen then moved up into second, only to be pushed down to third by his teammate Mattia Colnaghi, who was just 0.046s behind Wharton.

The Finn driver then went fastest on his next lap with a 1:47.499, however, Ugochukwu, who followed him across the line, went quicker by 0.088s to back to P1.

With just under 45 minutes left in the session, Hiyu Yamakoshi stopped in the gravel at Turn 13, bringing out the Red Flags.

Running was back underway with 30 minutes to go, but the Red Flags waved once more with Alessandro Giusti having stopped at Turn 6.

The drivers returned to the track with just under 20 minutes to go, but there were no improvements, before attentions turned to practice starts.

This meant Ugochukwu ended up on top ahead of Taponen and Giusti, with Wharton fourth and Nael fifth. Colnaghi was sixth ahead of the TRIDENT trio of Noah Stromsted, Matteo de Palo, and Freddie Slater, as Ernesto Rivera rounded out the top 10.

AFTERNOON

While the rain had stopped over lunch, the track was still damp, so the drivers left the pitlane on their Wet tyres, although the times were getting faster.

After 15 minutes, it was Nael at the top on a 1:46.090, over a tenth ahead of AIX Racing’s Brad Benavides and Yevan David in second and third.

The Campos driver then improved to a 1:45.958, while Wharton went to P2, although he was 0.357s off the top time.

Ugochukwu then picked up where he left off in the morning session to go fastest with a 1:45.543, eclipsing Nael’s time by just 0.055s.

The American driver continued to improve and set the new benchmark time at a 1:44.938, while Nael followed him across the line to wind up 0.099s behind.

With track conditions improving, Noah Stromsted was next to take over at the top, eclipsing Ugochukwu by 0.163s, before Bruno del Pino went fastest on a 1:44.412.

The Red Flags were then waved with Kanato Le having stopped on track at Turn 4.

Once the session resumed, the track conditions continued to improve, as did the times, with several drivers going to the top of the timesheets. Wharton’s 1:41.193 was the benchmark, 0.089s ahead of Brando Badoer.

The times continued to drop as Ugochukwu continued his strong form with a 1:40.326, putting him 0.426s clear of Sharp in P2.

Taito Kato was the first to dip below the 1:40s, with the ART Grand Prix driver going 0.430s clear at the top thanks to a 1:39.896.

After a quiet period, the drivers returned to the track on the Medium tyres for the first time all day, with Fionn Mclaughlin setting the early pace for Hitech TGR on a 1:35.902.

However, the fastest time changed hand several times with Jesse Carresquedo, Clerot and Tuukka Taponen all taking turns at the top of the leader. But it was eventually Benavides that took the top spot with a 1:33.022, leading the way by over seven and a half tenths.

The AIX driver’s lead was then cut down to just 0.088s as Clerot closed in on the top time in P2.

Several drivers had been improving their times before the second Red Flag of the afternoon came out, this time for Sharp, who was in the gravel at Turn 4.

The drivers returned to the track with just under five minutes to go. Ugochukwu had just set the fastest first sector before the Red Flags were waved for Del Pino, who stopped at Turn 3.

That brought an end to Day 1, with Benavides setting the pace ahead of Clerot, Colnaghi and Giusti, with Slater rounding out the top five. Wharton was sixth, just in front of Taponen, Christian Ho, Sharp and Hiyu Yamakoshi.

The drivers will be in their cars for the final day of post-season testing and of the 2025 campaign tomorrow, with the green flag set for 09:00 local time.

2025 FIA FORMULA 3 CHAMPIONSHIP – IMOLA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 1, MORNING SESSION

2025 FIA FORMULA 3 CHAMPIONSHIP – IMOLA POST-SEASON TEST, DAY 1, AFTERNOON SESSION