The final pre-season test of the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series saw Carlin's Carlos Huertas and Kevin Magnussen set the pace, Colombian Huertas the quickest man on track this morning and Tuesday pacesetter Magnussen the fast man of the afternoon.
Though he went comfortably quicker than he did yesterday or this morning, Danish driver Magnussen's afternoon best of 1m 39.671s was insufficient to unseat Huertas from the top of the timesheets. Carlos managed a 1m 39.521s in the more favourable, slightly cooler conditions of the morning session.
There was further encouragement for the Double R team and its 17-year-old Brazilian driver Pipo Derani, who followed up his good showing of yesterday with second-quickest time to Huertas this morning, third overall for the day as a whole.
The top British driver today was Racing Steps Foundation man Jack Harvey (Lincoln), who put behind him the trials of a Tuesday filled with technical issues to claim a top-six placing, just behind Hitech's Brazilian driver Pietro Fantin.
There was only one runner in the Rookie class today: Bart Hylkema, who set 19th best time overall for T-Sport. His class rival, Hitech's Japanese driver Kotaru Sakurai, had to sit out the test after damaging his chassis late yesterday.
The opening rounds of the championship, which is celebrating 60 years of Formula 3 in the UK, takes place not in Britain but at Monza, Italy, next weekend (16/17 April). A week after that the series rolls into Cheshire's Oulton Park circuit for a weekend of Easter excitement.
Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series Official testing, Snetterton / 6 April 2011
Leading runners am / pm
1 Carlos HUERTAS / COL, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 39.521s / 1m 40.304s2 Kevin MAGNUSSEN / DEN, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 39.842s / 1m 39.671s3 Pipo DERANI / BRA, Double R Dallara-Mercedes 1m 39.674s / 1m 42.047s4 Felipe NASR / BRA, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 39.834s / 1m 39.988s5 Pietro FANTIN / BRA, Hitech Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 40.062s / 1m 40.536s6 Jack HARVEY / GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 40.750s / 1m 40.076s7 Scott PYE / AUS, Double R Dallara-Mercedes 1m 40.161s / 1m 41.946s8 Jazeman JAAFAR / MAS, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1m 40.301s / 1m 40.536s9 Lucas FORESTI / BRA, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes 1m 40.313s / 1m 41.219s
10 Rupert SVENDSEN-COOK / GBR, Carlin Dallara-VW 1m 40.615s / 1m 40.322s etc
Rookie class1 Bart HYLKEMA / NED, T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda 1m 42.451s / 1m 42.802s
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