Photo: Antonin Grenier / DPPI / Renault Sport Media
Formula Renault 3.5 championship leader Carlos Sainz was quickest in the second practice for the season’s fourth round at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Spaniard took the lead less than ten minutes into the session and proceeded to sit at the top of the standings for more than half an hour. Series returnee Richie Stanaway briefly deposed the Red Bull junior with five minutes to go, but Sainz responded immediately, taking five tenths off Stanaway’s time and going on to lead the session at the checkered flag.
There were numerous improvements in the final minutes of the session and it was practice one pacesetter Sergey Sirotkin who eventually settled into second. Tech 1’s Marco Sorensen took third with Pietro Fantin in fourth.
Arden’s Pierre Gasly led his former Eurocup rival Oliver Rowland in fifth, with 0.005s separating the two drivers. Stanaway ended up seventh, ahead of Will Stevens, Will Buller and Zoel Amberg.
Session results
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
| 1 | Carlos Sainz | DAMS | 1:59.139 | 16 | |
| 2 | Sergey Sirotkin | Fortec Motorsports | 1:59.344 | 0.205 | 18 |
| 3 | Marco Sorensen | Tech 1 Racing | 1:59.607 | 0.468 | 18 |
| 4 | Pietro Fantin | International Draco Racing | 1:59.661 | 0.522 | 19 |
| 5 | Pierre Gasly | Arden Motorsport | 1:59.818 | 0.679 | 17 |
| 6 | Oliver Rowland | Fortec Motorsports | 1:59.823 | 0.684 | 17 |
| 7 | Richie Stanaway | Lotus | 1:59.850 | 0.711 | 16 |
| 8 | Will Stevens | Strakka Racing | 1:59.878 | 0.739 | 15 |
| 9 | William Buller | Arden Motorsport | 1:59.920 | 0.781 | 17 |
| 10 | Zoel Amberg | AVF | 1:59.944 | 0.805 | 18 |
| 11 | Matias Laine | Strakka Racing | 2:00.145 | 1.006 | 17 |
| 12 | Jazeman Jaafar | ISR | 2:00.215 | 1.076 | 16 |
| 13 | Roberto Merhi | Zeta Corse | 2:00.240 | 1.101 | 15 |
| 14 | Norman Nato | DAMS | 2:00.334 | 1.195 | 17 |
| 15 | Luca Ghiotto | International Draco Racing | 2:00.669 | 1.530 | 15 |
| 16 | Marlon Stockinger | Lotus | 2:00.692 | 1.553 | 17 |
| 17 | Oscar Tunjo | Pons Racing | 2:00.947 | 1.808 | 17 |
| 18 | Meindert van Buuren | Pons Racing | 2:01.039 | 1.900 | 18 |
| 19 | Beitske Visser | AVF | 2:01.619 | 2.480 | 18 |
| 20 | Roman Mavlanov | Zeta Corse | 2:02.143 | 3.004 | 18 |