The Raikkonen Robertson Racing pairing of Daisuke Nakajima and Carlos Huertas were the pace-setting runners Thursday in the second and final day of official testing for the Cooper Tires British F3 International Series at Snetterton. With track conditions much improved this afternoon, the 21-year-old Japanese driver was able to get within four-hundredths of last July's pole position time for the Norfolk circuit.
Nakajima's Mercedes-powered Dallara set a best mark of 1m 02.109s, with Daisuke's Colombian team-mate Huertas next quickest just eight-thousandths of a second off the pace.
Carlin men Adriano Buzaid, Jean-Eric Vergne and James Calado (Pershore) were third, fourth and fifth respectively, rookie Calado unable to repeat his session-leading feats of yesterday.
In this morning's damp-then-dry session it was Fortec's new signing Oli Webb who emerged on top, but a wheel-damaging incident this afternoon hampered the Knutsford driver's pace and he wound up seventh overall, just behind the Hitech car of Ulsterman William Buller.
T-Sport pairing Menasheh Idafar and James Cole were again the class of the National field.
There's more F3 testing at Rockingham next week, with the championship's opening rounds set for Oulton Park over the Easter weekend (3-5 Apr). British F3 is sponsored by US tyre manufacturer Cooper Tire and is further supported by Sunoco Racing Fuels, Anglo American Oil Company and Mirror.co.uk.
Cooper Tires British F3 official testingSnetterton, Norfolk, 25 Feb 2010
Leading International runners am / pm
1 Daisuke NAKAJIMA / JPN, RR Dallara-Mercedes 1m 05.555s / 1m 02.109s2 Carlos HUERTAS / COL, RR Dallara-Mercedes 1m 06.055s / 1m 02.117s3 Adriano BUZAID / BRA, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 04.600s / 1m 02.120s4 Jean-Eric VERGNE / FRA, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 10.824s / 1m 02.146s5 James CALADO / GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 04.981s / 1m 02.257s6 William BULLER / GBR, Hitech Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 05.657s / 1m 02.274s7 Oli WEBB / GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes 1m 03.802s / 1m 02.370s8 Jazeman JAAFAR / MAS, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 06.456s / 1m 02.587s9 Felipe NASR / BRA, RR Dallara-Mercedes 1m 04.967s / 1m 02.588s10 Daniel McKENZIE / GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes 1m 04.809s / 1m 02.599 etc
Leading National Class runners1 Menasheh IDAFAR / GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda 1m 04.680s / 1m 03.029s2 James COLE / GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda 1m 07.583s / 1m 03.364s3 Jordan OAKES / GBR, West-Tec Dallara-Mugen Honda 1m 10.518s / 1m 03.691s4 Craig REIFF / GER, Litespeed-Mugen Honda 1m 09.734s / 1m 04.280s
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