Photo: Chris Schotanus
Karting graduate Max Verstappen posted the fastest lap of the opening day of official pre-season Formula Renault NEC testing at Hockenheim.
Verstappen, who has already secured a deal to race in the FIA F3 championship with Van Amersfoort Racing, topped three of the six sessions, running with Manor MP.
The Dutch youngster set the overall benchmark in session two and would then go on to add the second-fastest lap of the day in the final run.
Polish racer Jakub Dalewski finished the day in P2, more than four tenths adrift of Verstappen. Dalewski, testing with Euronova, managed his best lap in session five, which he appropriately topped.
AVF’s 2014 signing Roy Geerts was an impressive third overall, leading Euronova’s Ukyo Sasahara and Caterham junior Seb Morris. Louis Deletraz, quickest in session four, would settle for sixth at the end of the day ahead of RSF’s Ben Barnicoat and BRDC F4 champion Jake Hughes.
Jorge Cevallos made it three Fortec drivers in the top ten with ninth, while Raoul Owens‘ timesheet-topping lap from the third session would only be good enough for tenth.
Combined testing results
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Manor MP Motorsport | 1:37.514 | |
| 2 | Jakub Dalewski | Euronova | 1:37.982 | +0.468 |
| 3 | Roy Geerts | AVF | 1:38.074 | +0.560 |
| 4 | Ukyo Sasahara | Euronova | 1:38.107 | +0.593 |
| 5 | Seb Morris | Fortec Motorsport | 1:38.161 | +0.647 |
| 6 | Louis Deletraz | Josef Kaufmann Racing | 1:38.270 | +0.756 |
| 7 | Ben Barnicoat | Fortec Motorsport | 1:38.371 | +0.857 |
| 8 | Jake Hughes | Mark Burdett Racing | 1:38.631 | +1.117 |
| 9 | Jorge Cevallos | Fortec Motorsport | 1:38.680 | +1.166 |
| 10 | Raoul Owens | Mark Burdett Racing | 1:38.699 | +1.185 |
| 11 | Julio Moreno | Manor MP Motorsport | 1:38.761 | +1.247 |
| 12 | Josef Zaruba | AVF | 1:39.156 | +1.642 |
| 13 | Marek Bockmann | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:39.277 | +1.763 |
| 14 | Robin Hansson | Fragus BR Motorsport | 1:39.287 | +1.773 |
| 15 | Martin Kodric | Fortec Motorsport | 1:39.304 | +1.790 |
| 16 | Dennis Anoschin | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:39.440 | +1.926 |
| 17 | Leopold Ringbom | PositiOne | 1:39.988 | +2.474 |
| 18 | David Richert | Inter Europol | 1:42.689 | +5.175 |