Sami Meguetounif ends final day of testing fastest for TRIDENT in Barcelona

TRIDENT’s Sami Meguetounif finished pre-season testing top of Day 3, setting a 1:24.363 in the afternoon session to lead the pack in the final on-track session ahead of Round 1.

In the morning, Victor Martins put ART Grand Prix in P1, though it was an eventful final day for several drivers as teams looked to build as much data as possible before the first race weekend next month.

MORNING

The track was wet in places after overnight rain so Wet Pirelli tyres were favoured in the opening laps. However, DAMS Lucas Oil’s Kush Maini brought out an early Red Flag, coming to a halt at Turn 3.

The session got back underway, but it wasn’t long before a second stoppage arrived. This time Sami Meguetounif, who topped the times with a 1:36.479, pulled up to the side of the track at Turn 9 in his TRIDENT.

After resuming, Christian Mansell moved Rodin Motorsport up to P1 with a 1:29.699 as the clock ticked beneath two hours remaining, the first driver underneath the 1:30s.

Teammate Alexander Dunne then recorded a 1:28.493 to take over at the top spot. The McLaren Driver Development Programme talent quickly lowered his time to a 1:27.590 with track conditions continuing to improve.

Approaching the final hour and after returning to the circuit, Meguetounif went quickest on a 1:27.223 but only briefly. Richard Verschoor soon followed that up with a 1:27.013 for MP Motorsport to go top of the times.

Into the final hour of the morning and another Red Flag arrived this time after a spin for Sebastián Montoya at Turn 1.

Back underway and John Bennett was up to first for Van Amersfoort Racing, logging a 1:26.311 with little over 40 minutes to go.

Jak Crawford went within 0.009s of the Briton in second for DAMS before teammate Maini broke into the 1:25s. The pair improved again though this time the American led the way on a 1:25.580, 0.013s ahead of his teammate.

Victor Martins went almost a second clear for ART Grand Prix with 20 minutes remaining, 1:24.673 comfortably the quickest time of the day up to that point.

Rodin’s Mansell then brought out a Red Flag in the closing stages with a spin into the barriers at Turn 3. He was out of the car and OK, and once his car was recovered, the final six minutes of the session resumed.

There was time for one final flying lap, but Martins found the gravel at Turn 5, ending any chance of a late improvement for the rest of the field.

The Frenchman remained at the head of the times with teammate Ritomo Miyata behind in second. Crawford led a DAMS 3-4 with Maini fourth, while Max Esterson rounded out the top five for TRIDENT.

Joshua Duerksen was sixth, Rafael Villagómez and John Bennett followed ahead of Verschoor in ninth and Josep María Martí in P10.

AFTERNOON

Campos Racing, MP and TRIDENT were straight out on track as the afternoon began, and Arvid Lindblad set the early pace with a 1:25.427, 0.288s quicker than Verschoor in P2.

Meguetounif then went to the top of the times with a 1:24.363, just before teammate Esterson spun at Turn 9 to bring out the Red Flags.

Once the track was cleared, running got back underway with just over two hours of the test remaining.

Race runs were the aim for many as the mileage continued to be logged, but another Red Flag came with under two hours to go. Van Amersfoort Racing’s John Bennett suffering a spin and tagging the wall ahead of the final corner.

The session was back to green soon after and lap counts continued to climb with plenty drivers getting back out onto the circuit.

There was little movement in the times until Dunne moved up to second just inside the final hour, 0.685s down on Meguetounif’s earlier time.

The third Red Flag of the afternoon arrived with just over half an hour to go, Oliver Goethe getting beached in the gravel at Turn 5 in his MP.

With just over 20 minutes remaining of testing, the session resumed, but there was one final Red Flag as Meguetounif was the final driver to slide into the gravel at Turn 5.

The Frenchman headed up Dunne and Lindblad with Verschoor and Mansell completing the top five. Duerksen and Cian Shields followed with Martí, Martins and Esterson the top 10.

2025 FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP - BARCELONA PRE-SEASON TEST, DAY 3, MORNING SESSION

2025 FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP - BARCELONA PRE-SEASON TEST, DAY 3, AFTERNOON SESSION