PRACTICE: Campos lock out the top three at home as Nael sets pace in Barcelona

Théophile Nael was fastest in this morning’s Barcelona Free Practice, leading a 1-2-3 for Campos Racing at their home event.

The Frenchman ended up on top with a 1:28.422 to take the top spot ahead of Ugo Ugochukwu and Ernesto Rivera.

AIX Racing were the first team to send their drivers out for some push laps with Fernando Barrichello setting early pace with a 1:30.655 – over seven-tenths quicker than teammate Yevan David.

Just as they completed their laps, the rest of the field headed out with just under 30 minutes left in the session.

Bruno del Pino went fastest on a 1:29.425 for Van Amersfoort Racing but there were several setting quicker sectors behind him.

One of those was Taito Kato took over at the top on a 1:29.103, but it was incredibly close with Freddie Slater just 0.002s behind the ART Grand Prix driver.

The Campos trio then took over at the top with Nael quickest on a 1:28.422, over two-tenths ahead of Ugochukwu, as Rivera went to third, 0.365s off P1.

The entire field returned to the pitlane after those flying laps, before hitting the track once again with under 14 minutes to go.

However, there were few improvements as the tyre performance started to drop.

This left as Campos 1-2-3 with Nael ahead of Ugochukwu and Rivera. Alessandro Giusti was fourth ahead of Kato with Brando Badoer in sixth.

Kanato Le finished seventh, ahead of Noah Stromsted and Mattia Colnaghi with del Pino rounding out the top 10.

The drivers will now debrief with their teams before hitting the track for Qualifying at 15:00 local time.