Photo: Renault Sport
Stoffel Vandoorne got his home round of the Formula Renault 3.5 Series off to the best possible start with the fastest time in a rain-hit first practice at Spa-Francorchamps.
Fortec Motorsports driver Vandoorne managed a time of 2m19.894s, putting him 0.131s clear of fellow McLaren young driver Kevin Magnussen. The Dane leads Vandoorne by 14 points at the top of the drivers’ standings after last weekend’s race in Monaco.
Magnussen’s DAMS team-mate Norman Nato, a winner in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 at the same meeting last year, was third quickest, 0.427s off the pace.
Carlos Huertas, who mastered wet conditions to win at Motorland Aragon, was fourth fastest for Carlin, ahead of Carlos Sainz. After a fine sixth place finish on his FR3.5 debut in Monaco, the Spaniard continues with Zeta Corse for a second weekend at a circuit where he won in British F3 last season.
Monaco winner Nico Muller was sixth for Draco, ahead of ISR’s Sergey Sirotkin and his ten-years-older compatriot Daniil Move. Antonio Felix da Costa and Monaco podium finisher Jazeman Jaafar completed the top ten.
Free practice 1 times
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
| 1 | Stoffel Vandoorne | Fortec Motorsports | 2:19.894 | 16 | |
| 2 | Kevin Magnussen | DAMS | 2:20.025 | +0.131 | 12 |
| 3 | Norman Nato | DAMS | 2:20.321 | +0.427 | 16 |
| 4 | Carlos Huertas | Carlin | 2:20.571 | +0.677 | 17 |
| 5 | Carlos Sainz | Zeta Corse | 2:20.607 | +0.713 | 9 |
| 6 | Nico Muller | International Draco Racing | 2:20.831 | +0.937 | 17 |
| 7 | Sergey Sirotkin | ISR | 2:20.996 | +1.102 | 16 |
| 8 | Daniil Move | SMP Racing by Comtec | 2:21.269 | +1.375 | 13 |
| 9 | Antonio Felix da Costa | Arden Caterham | 2:21.288 | +1.394 | 15 |
| 10 | Jazeman Jaafar | Carlin | 2:21.329 | +1.435 | 16 |
| 11 | Marco Sorensen | Lotus | 2:21.382 | +1.488 | 16 |
| 12 | Andre Negrao | International Draco Racing | 2:21.457 | +1.563 | 16 |
| 13 | Arthur Pic | AV Formula | 2:21.614 | +1.720 | 14 |
| 14 | Lucas Foresti | SMP Racing by Comtec | 2:21.707 | +1.813 | 15 |
| 15 | Will Stevens | P1 by Strakka Racing | 2:22.095 | +2.201 | 17 |
| 16 | Oliver Webb | Fortec Motorsports | 2:22.192 | +2.298 | 14 |
| 17 | Zoel Amberg | Pons Racing | 2:22.210 | +2.316 | 16 |
| 18 | Pietro Fantin | Arden Caterham | 2:22.269 | +2.375 | 16 |
| 19 | Matias Laine | P1 by Strakka Racing | 2:22.319 | +2.425 | 17 |
| 20 | Christopher Zanella | ISR | 2:22.630 | +2.736 | 6 |
| 21 | Nigel Melker | Tech 1 Racing | 2:22.631 | +2.737 | 16 |
| 22 | Nikolai Martsenko | Pons Racing | 2:23.115 | +3.221 | 13 |
| 23 | Mikhail Aleshin | Tech 1 Racing | 2:23.287 | +3.393 | 13 |
| 24 | Mihai Marinescu | Zeta Corse | 2:23.369 | +3.475 | 15 |
| 25 | Yann Cunha | AV Formula | 2:23.617 | +3.723 | 16 |
| 26 | Marlon Stockinger | Lotus | 2:25.049 | +5.155 | 16 |