Alexander Dunne kicked off his Baku weekend on a high note, setting the fastest time in Formula 2 Free Practice for Rodin Motorsport.
The Irishman completed a 1:55.720 late on to finish P1 ahead of the DAMS Lucas Oil driver by just 0.049s, with Hitech TGR’s Dino Beganovic rounding out the top three, News.Az reports, citing fiaformula2.com.
Joshua Duerksen was the early pacesetter on a 2:00.278, the AIX Racing driver over two-tenths clear of PREMA Racing’s Gabriele Minì.
But as the rest of the field completed their first laps, Luke Browning rocketed to the top on a 1:58.407, the Hitech driver over a second clear of his nearest challenger Richard Verschoor.
Crawford was next to go fastest with a 1:58.285, while TRIDENT’s debutant Martinius Stenshorne followed him across the line to go to P2, 0.006s off the American’s leading time.
But as the track conditions improved, so did the times, and Browning returned to the top with a 1:56.769. His good lap put him over half a second clear of Victor Martins and Beganovic in second and third.
On the next set of laps, and this time it was Martins that wound up quickest on a 1:56.388. The ART Grand Pric driver used the tow from Browning across the line to beat the Briton by 0.094s.
Both drivers then improved on their next set of laps, but on this occasion, it was Browning who was quickest on a 1:55.869, with Martins settling for P2, 0.158s behind.
As the session entered its closing stage, the Virtual Safety Car was signalled as Arvid Lindblad stopped down the escape road, and with his Campos Racing car needing to be cleared.
Green flag conditions resumed with just over three minutes left in the session, and Dunne went quickest on a 1:55.720, while Crawford went second 0.049s behind.
It was tight at the top with Beganovic just 0.058s behind in third ahead of his teammate Browning, as Van Amersfoort Racing’s Rafael Villagómez rounded out the top five.
Martins was sixth ahead of Minì, with Oliver Goethe in eighth for MP Motorsport, ahead of Ritomo Miyata and teammate Richard Verschoor.
The drivers will now look over the data with their team before coming back out on to the track at 14:00 local time for Qualifying.
