PRACTICE: Nakamura fastest for Hitech in Madrid ahead of Kato

Jin Nakamura started the Madrid weekend fastest of all for Hitech. The Japanese driver recorded a 1:49.835 in the final minutes of the session to lead compatriot Taito Kato for ART Grand Prix by a tenth. Van Amersfoort Racing's Enzo Deligny completed the top three.

Kato was the first to set a time in the session, with the ART driver leading an early 1-2-3 for the French team on a 1:53.026.

The Japanese driver lowered his time to a 1:52.026 which was then bettered by Tuukka Taponen by just 0.037s.

Kato then returned to the top with 15 minutes to run on a 1:51.567 before title contender Ugo Ugochukwu went fastest with a 1:51.192.

The Campos Racing driver was flying on his next lap as he shaved off over half a second on his next attempt to lead the pack on a 1:50.587 with teammate Ernesto Rivera in P2.

Championship leader Freddie Slater replied with 20 minutes to go, lowering the benchmark effort to a 1:50.453.

Pedro Clerot had an earlier time good enough for P3 deleted, but he restored himself to the top three with just over 15 minutes to go with Taponen and then Rodin Motorsport teammate Brando Badoer in the top five.

Kato then went quickest once again, 0.060s ahead of Slater's time, before Fionn McLaughlin went just behind Clerot for Hitech in fifth.

Ugochukwu logged a 1:50.268 on his next lap to return to the top, before title rival Slater bettered that by just 0.072s.

Into the final five minutes and Enzo Deligny went to P2 just 0.069s off top spot before the next set of improvements arrived.

Kato lowered his best to a 1:49.936 to go P1, as Ugochukwu finished 0.064s down on that time in P2, 0.002s ahead of Rivera, with Slater fourth.

Nakamura then went quickest in the final minute, with Deligny moving himself back to third just as the Red Flag was thrown.

A crash for Nicola Lacorte in the final seconds brought Practice to a close, with the DAMS Lucas Oil driver OK after tagging the barriers at the exit of Turn 9.

Nakamura led Kato, Deligny, Ugochukwu and Rivera in the top five. Slater followed in sixth ahead of McLaughlin, Taponen, Clerot and Bruno Del Pino in the top 10.

There will be two Qualifying sessions this weekend, with the first getting underway at 18:25 local time. The second will follow immediately afterwards, with the green light scheduled for 18:55 local time.