Tsolov fastest between the red flags in FIA F3’s Austria practice

Photo: Red Bull

Nikola Tsolov was fastest in FIA Formula 3 practice at the Red Bull Ring, which was disrupted by red flags three times.

The Campos Racing driver set a 1m22.018s to beat Trident’s points leader Rafael Camara by 0.158 seconds.

Many drivers opted to remain in pitlane early in the 45-minute session. DAMS’ debutant Nikita Johnson was the only driver on track, the American making himself familiar with the Dallara F3 2025 car.

Trident’s Noah Stromsted was the first driver to set a representative laptime, a 1m23.663s, which put on top through the first third of the session. At that point everyone headed, and Stromsted remained ahead while Prema’s Noel Leon went second fastest with a 1m24.001s lap.

The first red-flag interruption came when Leon’s team-mate Brando Badoer ended up in the gravel at turn eight. Prema soon had more trouble, as Leon’s engine set on fire during the stoppage and put him out of the rest of practice.

After five minutes, practice restarted and the track became busy again with 20 minutes to go. Slippery conditions caught out many at turn three, with drivers running wide and struggling under braking.

Soon there were red flags waving again, this time caused by Gerrard Xie. The Hitech GP driver had pulled off at turn three with a suspected engine issue, having only just left the pits.

The second stoppage also lasted five minutes, and flying laps was the focus once action resumed. Tsolov set his benchmark laptime once he headed out.

Many drivers only got one lap in at pace before the third red flag period, instigated by AIX Racing’s Brad Benavides getting stuck in the gravel at turn four.

There were two minutes left on the clock when practice restarted for the final time, and most laptimes came in as the chequered flag waved. Camara rose to second, and Stromsted improved to 1m22.498s in third.

ART Grand Prix’s Tuukka Taponen went fourth fastest, ahead of Campos’s Mari Boya.

Free practice results