Sebastian Wheldon topped the opening Practice session for the final round of the FIA Formula Regional European Championship at Hockenheim.
The MP Motorsport driver set the best time of 1:35.150 in the closing stages. RPM’s Polish driver Jan Przyrowski finished second, with Wheldon’s team-mate Alexander Abkhazava third, just over a tenth off the pace.
Reno Francot followed closely in fourth with the leading CL Motorsport Tatuus T-326. Championship leader Emanuele Olivieri was fifth with a time of 1:35.395.
The three ART Grand Prix drivers Mattéo Giaccardi, Kabir Anurag and Alexandre Munoz finished sixth, seventh and ninth respectively. MP Motorsport’s Zhenrui Chi split the trio in eighth, while Rodin Motorsport’s Reza Seeworuthun completed the top 10.
With half an hour remaining, Olivieri was the first to set a representative time, going quickest with a 1:35.789, 0.039s ahead of Wheldon. RPM’s Miguel Costa and Chi were third and fourth, with both drivers also breaking the 1:36 barrier. Seeworuthun then took his turn at the top, shaving more than a tenth off the benchmark with a 1:35.660.
Several drivers improved with 10 minutes to go. Wheldon moved to the top with a 1:35.778 before Przyrowski went quickest with a 1:35.363. Wheldon then went quickest once again and remained at the top.
Also of note were the debuts of Indian driver Ary Bansal, who set the 16th-fastest time for CL Motorsport, and Britain’s Lewis Wherrell, who took the wheel of one of RPM’s cars.
Free Practice 2 will start at 17:03 CEST.
