Mini tops rain-hit first F3 practice session in Monaco

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Gabriele Mini topped the Formula 3 championship’s debut practice session in Monaco in wet conditions.

The Alpine junior, who has raced in Monaco the past two years in Formula Regional, had a quiet session having spent time in the pits but vaulted up the order as conditions dried at the end.

Franco Colapinto was among the first drivers to change from wet tyres to slicks and went almost six seconds clear at the top of the times.

Nikola Tsolov, Christian Mansell, Mari Boya and Gregoire Saucy briefly took turns on top before Colapinto found another three seconds on his next attempt.

Mini however bettered that by 0.233 seconds, achieving a 1m26.686s.

With times improving rapidly at the end, Pepe Marti was fourth behind Saucy, and ahead of championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto.

The top 10 was completed by Sebastian Montoya, Caio Collet, Boya and Tommy Smith.

The approach into Casino Square through Massenet proved to be particularly tricky in the changing conditions.

Ido Cohen hit the barriers there early on, with Kaylen Frederick doing similar in the middle of the session just before Jonny Edgar spun there and came to a stop, triggering a red flag so his car could be recovered. Hunter Yeany also spun there after the restart but managed to continue.

On his Monaco debut and his first time in the colours of Williams, Luke Browning was spectacular as usual and frequently quickest while on wet tyres. But after changing to slicks he ran wide in the hairpin and hit the barriers, causing a virtual safety car while he got going.

Others to find the barriers included Hugh Barter in Mirabeau and Oliver Goethe in Sainte Devote.

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