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Fontana leads the way in opening Nürburgring practice

  • Published on 25 May 2012 13:11
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Alex Fontana was the early pace setter during today's (Friday) closely fought opening Formula Two practice session at the Nűrburgring.

The 19-year-old posted a best time of 1:47.676s - quicker than Mirko Bortolotti's pole time from last year - late in the session to secure the top spot from fellow countryman Mathéo Tuscher with Markus Pommer, racing on home soil this weekend, going third.

Brit Luciano Bacheta, still unbeaten in the series after a record-breaking four consecutive wins, secured fourth place for the 45-minute session with Kevin Mirocha rounding out the top five.

The sun shone as the drives took to the 5.148km track with Bacheta laying down the early benchmark, lapping in the low 1:48s closely followed by Fontana and Christopher Zanella. David Zhu, who enjoyed a best of fifth last time out in Portimáo, was also looking strong in P5 after 15 minutes before many of the field headed to the pits.

Pommer then went top with 20 minutes left on the clock with the German the first driver to break into the 1:47s. Mirocha had also improved to lay third behind Bacheta, while further down the order debutant Axcil Jefferies was making good progress just outside the top 10.

With five minutes remaining, Alex Fontana then went top to edge out Pommer and Bacheta with Mathéo Tuscher moving up into fourth with Parthiva Sureshwaren and Plamen Kralev both showing good pace in sixth and ninth places respectively.

In the closing stages, Tuscher went even quicker to go P2 - a mere 0.163s behind Fontana, with Pommer hanging onto third. Sureshwaren held onto his P6, one the Indian driver's best performances, with 2011 F2 runner-up Zanella in seventh and Mihai Marinescu in eighth. Kralev also kept his P9 with Zhu completing the top 10.
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Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
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Shanghai International Circuit
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Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
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Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
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Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
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Hungaroring
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Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
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