After two rounds full of excitement to kick off the year, the 2024 FIA Formula 3 season resumes with three days of in-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from April 16-18. This session is a key moment for drivers and their teams to apply what they’ve learned from early races and fine-tune their setups ahead of the European leg of the calendar, which begins with Round 3 in Imola.
The testing schedule allows for six hours of track time each day, starting at 09:00 local time and breaking at noon. The afternoon sessions will commence at 14:00 and conclude at 17:00 on the first two days, with the final day beginning an hour earlier at 13:00 and ending at 16:00. To assist the teams in their testing, Pirelli will provide each car with eight sets of hard tyres and an additional three sets of wet tyres, preparing them for any conditions they might face.
Currently, there is a tie at the top of the Drivers’ Championship with Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Luke Browning and Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli each holding 37 points. Notably, Fornaroli, alongside Gabriele Minì of PREMA Racing and Oliver Goethe of Campos Racing, has managed to score points in every race this season. So far, only PREMA and Hitech have claimed race victories, with their drivers Arvid Lindblad, Dino Beganovic, Browning, and Martinius Stenshorne all celebrating their first wins in Formula 3 this year.
Nineteen drivers have scored points, and nine have stood on the podium, indicating a competitive season. PREMA is leading the Teams’ Championship with 83 points, followed closely by Trident and Hitech, which are in a tight battle for the runner-up position.
Fans eager to follow the progress of the testing can do so through the official FIA Formula 3 website, which features live timing. Detailed reports and driver reactions will be posted daily after the sessions conclude, and additional behind-the-scenes content will be available on the series’ social media channels on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
These test days are more than just a routine exercise; they are a crucial part of the season’s strategy, providing teams and drivers a chance to refine their cars and driving techniques. With the competition heating up and the European races just around the corner, the Formula 3 championship is setting the stage for what promises to be another spectacular display of young driving talent.
