Photo: GEPA pictures/Dutch Photo Agency/Sebastiaan Rozendaal
Carlos Sainz set the pace in the first session of running on Friday ahead of the opening Formula Renault 3.5 round at Monza.
Driving with reigning champions DAMS, the Red Bull Junior posted a time of 1m34.207s around the Italian circuit.
Lotus junior Marlon Stockinger came closest to matching that time, finishing up 0.171s slower. Zoel Amberg had a strong showing to take third for AVF ahead of lead Fortec driver Sergey Sirotkin.
Will Stevens, who starts the season as a title favourite as the highest-placed 2013 driver to return, was fifth quickest ahead of Marco Sorensen, who will be Tech 1 Racing’s sole driver for this weekend.
Pre-season surprise package Pietro Fantin took seventh for Draco ahead of the second Fortec car of Oliver Rowland, who was followed closely by his 2013 Eurocup FR2.0 rival Pierre Gasly (Arden). Sainz’s team-mate Norman Nato?completed the top ten.
Only 21 cars will take part in the opening round, with Tech 1, ISR and Comtec only fielding one car and Carlin absent altogether.
Session results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
| 1 | Carlos Sainz | DAMS | 1:34.207 | 21 | |
| 2 | Marlon Stockinger | Lotus | 1:34.378 | 0.171 | 21 |
| 3 | Zoel Amberg | AVF | 1:34.423 | 0.216 | 21 |
| 4 | Sergey Sirotkin | Fortec Motorsport | 1:34.675 | 0.468 | 23 |
| 5 | Will Stevens | Strakka Racing | 1:34.724 | 0.517 | 22 |
| 6 | Marco Sorensen | Tech 1 Racing | 1:35.058 | 0.851 | 19 |
| 7 | Pietro Fantin | International Draco Racing | 1:35.084 | 0.877 | 24 |
| 8 | Oliver Rowland | Fortec Motorsport | 1:35.188 | 0.981 | 24 |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | Arden Motorsport | 1:35.226 | 1.019 | 20 |
| 10 | Norman Nato | DAMS | 1:35.243 | 1.036 | 22 |
| 11 | Roman Mavlanov | Zeta Corse | 1:35.404 | 1.197 | 20 |
| 12 | Jazeman Jaafar | ISR | 1:35.445 | 1.238 | 20 |
| 13 | Luca Ghiotto | International Draco Racing | 1:35.549 | 1.342 | 21 |
| 14 | William Buller | Arden Motorsport | 1:35.708 | 1.501 | 20 |
| 15 | Matias Laine | Strakka Racing | 1:35.760 | 1.553 | 22 |
| 16 | Nikolay Martsenko | Comtec Racing | 1:35.864 | 1.657 | 21 |
| 17 | Matthieu Vaxiviere | Lotus | 1:35.982 | 1.775 | 23 |
| 18 | Oliver Webb | Pons Racing | 1:36.004 | 1.797 | 20 |
| 19 | Roberto Mehri | Zeta Corse | 1:36.330 | 2.123 | 19 |
| 20 | Beitske Visser | AVF | 1:36.744 | 2.537 | 21 |
| 21 | Meindert Van Buuren | Pons Racing | 1:40.083 | 5.876 | 3 |