PRACTICE: Doohan headlines running at rainy Spa-Francorchamps

Jack Doohan got off to an ideal start in Free Practice at Spa-Francorchamps, setting a 2:16.851 to top the weekend’s opening session. MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger was a late improver in second and Victor Martins made a strong start in third for ART Grand Prix.

Martins set the early benchmark with a 2:19.455 ahead of teammate Théo Pourchaire, as all but the ART pair and PHM Racing by Charouz’s Joshua Mason opted to remain in the pits waiting for conditions to improve.

As the rain slowly eased off, the Trident duo became the only cars out on track. At the 27-minute mark, Clément Novalak brought out the Virtual Safety Car. The Frenchman parked up along the Kemmel Straight after a wide moment over the kerbs at Eau Rouge.

Green flag conditions resumed, and Martins immediately bettered his previous effort, improving to a 2:18.161. Fresh off the back of his Budapest Feature Race victory, Doohan then became the first driver to break into the 2:17s, clocking in a 2:17.970 to go a tenth ahead of his fellow Alpine Academy junior.

Championship leader Frederik Vesti then popped himself up to the top of the timing sheets, setting a 2:17.571 with 15 minutes to go before Martins leapfrogged back ahead by 0.092s.

Doohan regained the top spot once again, over six-tenths clear of the pack with a 2:16.851. Hauger moved up to second inside the final three minutes of the morning, three-tenths off the Invicta Virtuosi Racing driver as the Belgian circuit slowly began to dry.

The session was red flagged with two minutes left on the clock, as Mason stopped on track at the pitlane exit. With under two minutes remaining, the session did not resume, with Doohan fastest of all ahead of Hauger and Martins.

Vesti finished up fourth ahead of the Rodin Carlin duo of Zane Maloney and Enzo Fittipaldi. Roman Stanek secured seventh for Trident ahead of Pourchaire and Campos Racing’s Ralph Boschung and Kush Maini, who rounded out the top 10.

The action resumes with the 30-minute Qualifying session set to get underway at 15:55 local time.