Alessandro Giusti ends Day 1 of Jerez post-season test on top

Alessandro Giusti was the fastest driver on Day 1 of the post-season testing in Jerez, the MP Motorsport driver setting the pace with a 1:30.732 in the morning session.

The Frenchman wound up second in the afternoon segment, just behind teammate Tuukka Taponen, who was quickest with a 1:31.980.

MORNING

With the early installation laps complete, the first set of push laps came in, and it was Tuukka Taponen that set the pace on a 1:31.556. The MP Motorsport driver went a tenth and a half ahead of his teammate Mattia Colnaghi.

However, as the second hour of running got underway, James Wharton stopped at the Turn 11 chicane bringing out the Red Flags.

The session was quickly restarted, and Freddie Slater immediately went fastest on a 1:31.355 in his TRIDENT.

But the Briton was soon demoted to second place, as Ugo Ugochukwu jumped up to P1 for Campos Racing with a 1:31.223.

The MP drivers then went for some more fast laps, but on this occasion, it was Giusti on top, 0.305s quicker than Colnaghi thanks to a 1:30.732, with Taponen in P3.

Slater then split the trio as he jumped up to second place, joining Giusti in the 1:30s, although he was over two-tenths off the Frenchman.

There were no further changes to the top of the leaderboard for the rest of the session, with Giusti leading the way ahead of Slater and Colnaghi. Jesse Carrasquedo was fourth for Van Amersfoort Racing as Taponen rounded out the top five.

AFTERNOON

Campos Racing was the first out on track in the afternoon, and it was the team's three drivers that occupied the top spots early on.

Ugochukwu went fastest on a 1:32.214, ahead Ernesto Riviera in second and 0.196s behind, as Théophile Nael went to third, over two-tenths behind.

Long runs became the focus before the Red Flags were waved as the day went into the final 90 minutes, with Riviera having stopped on track at Turn 8.

With just over forty minutes to go in the session, Noah Stromsted stopped on track at Turn 2, bringing out the Red Flags once more.

Once running resumed, Giusti continued his fine form from the morning segment to go up to second on a 1:32.344, just 0.030s off Ugochukwu’s leading time.

The MP driver was quickly demoted to third though, as Christian Ho went to P2 with a 1:32.229, 0.015s behind.

But as the clock wound down below 10 minutes, Taponen went to P1 with a 1:31.980, with Giusti in second, 0.121s behind, while Gerrard Xie was third for DAMS Lucas Oil.

That brought an end to the opening day of running in Jerez, with Taponen leading Giusti and Xie, Ugochukwu fourth, and Ho fifth.

That’s it from Day 1 in Jerez, but the drivers will be back out on track for the second and final day of running at the Spanish venue at 09:00 local time.

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

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