We were back at the Circuit de Barcelona-Cataluyna for day two of F3 testing, ahead of the 2026 season.
Sensational Sharp
It was Louis Sharp who showed good pace on day one of testing for PREMA.
He began today’s session by storming to the top with a 1:30.084, nearly two-tenths ahead of Taito Kato.
Ugo Ugochukwu slotted into third.
TRIDENT on Top
TRIDENT were the first team to put on a fresh set of tyres, resulting in Noah Stromsted going quickest with a 1:28.447.
Just over a third behind, Matteo De Palo slotted into second, while Freddie Slater took third after running wide at the final corner.
Hitech Strikes
Hitech decided to make the move onto new tyres later than their rivals.
Following this, Jin Nakamura and Tim Tramnitz went into P3 and P4 respectively, with Fionn McLaughlin slotting into P13.
Qualifying Simulations
Whilst many drivers were eager to complete their Qualifying simulations, the heavy wind was catching many out, particularly in the final corner.
For DAMS Lucas Oil, Gerrard Xie was the next competitor to top the timings with a 1:27.792, +0.111s ahead of Brad Benavides.
However, ART were quick to dominate once again, with Kato going quickest with a 1:27.317.
His teammate Maciej Gladysz was just +0.003s behind.
As the Qualifying simulations concluded, Slater proved why he is the one-to-watch, powering ahead with a 1:27.020.
The Afternoon Agenda
As the green light was shown for the afternoon session, race simulations were at the forefront of the agenda.
The teams aim to recreate real‑world scenarios for their drivers, particularly the rookies. That includes everything from the laps to the grid, the Formation Lap and the race starts.
Some teams will also want to simulate time spent in the pit lane before heading to the grid, as well as the period on the grid before the Formation Lap begins. It’s all about ensuring the drivers know exactly what to expect when Round 1 arrives.
The Final Hour
As the final hour commenced, TRIDENT showed impressive form.
Slater remained in first, with Stromsted and De Palo in P3 and P4 respectively.
However, it was change at the top as Benavides topped the timings with a 1:31.331 for AIX.
Campos 1-2-3
As the afternoon session came to a close, Campos sent their drivers out on new tyres.
Therefore, Ugochukwu went quickest with a 1:28.241. Patrick Heuzenroeder slotted in just two-tenths behind him, with Theophile Nael in third.
The red flag was waved as Enzo Deligny found the gravel between Turns 7 and 8.
Chequered Flag
The chequered flag bought day two of F3 pre-season testing to a close.
Ugochukwu topped the afternoon, ahead of Heuzenroeder and Nael.
However, it was Slater who achieved the fastest time of the day once again, quickest in this morning’s Qualifying simulations.
The final day of running begins tomorrow at 9am local time.
Featured image credit: Getty Images