The Free Practice session at Silverstone started with drivers eager to get to grips with the challenging 5.891km track. Hitech’s Luke Browning delivered an exceptional performance, setting the fastest lap time of 1:45.794. Browning’s impressive pace positioned him 0.182 seconds ahead of Gabriel Bortoleto, who claimed second place.
Dino Beganovic, showcasing his skills for PREMA, secured the third spot on the timesheets, closely followed by Leonardo Fornaroli, who made a late improvement to secure fourth place. Juan Maria Marti rounded out the top five, ensuring a strong start for his campaign at Silverstone.
Throughout the session, Browning extended his hold on the top spot, setting a commanding pace. Bortoleto made a late surge, securing second place and finishing just 0.129 seconds behind Browning. Marti, Beganovic, and Gabriele Mini completed the top seven, highlighting their early competitiveness.
As the clock ticked down, improvements became harder to come by as the effects of fading hard tires took hold. However, Browning’s dominance remained unchallenged as the session concluded.
During the Free Practice session, a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed to retrieve a broken front wing from contact between Kaylen Frederick and Zak O’Sullivan. Despite the interruption, Browning swiftly regained his position at the top of the order with a time of 1:45.946.
PREMA Racing’s Juan Maria Marti made his presence felt, momentarily going quickest with a lap time of 1:46.125 to secure fifth. However, Browning quickly responded, cementing his position at the top of the timesheets.
The session saw a closely contested field, with several drivers posting competitive lap times. Gregoire Saucy, Paul Aron, Gabriel Mini, and Zak O’Sullivan showcased their potential within the top ten. Rodin Carlin’s newest addition, Max Esterson, demonstrated his capabilities in his debut with a top-ten finish after replacing Hunter Yeany.
With the conclusion of the free practice session, the focus shifted to the highly anticipated qualifying session scheduled to commence at 14:10 local time. The close competition in the free practice session hinted at a thrilling battle for pole position, promising an exciting weekend for fans and competitors alike.
