F3.5: Hughes tops Barcelona test with Carlin

Jake Hughes set the fastest time in private Formula 3.5 V8 testing at the Circuit de Catalunya on Monday.

Fresh from a recent European Formula 3 test with Carlin, Hughes continued with the team and topped a 15-car field on the first of two days of running in Barcelona. The Formula Renault 2.0 ace's time of 1m29.918s was recorded in the afternoon session, and edged out AVF's 2016 signing Tom Dillmann by 0.275 seconds.

"Overall testing has gone really well for us today," said Hughes. "We never know what other teams are doing but we were fast and spent the day focusing on ourselves. "I think our performance shows and we've still got more to come so I'm obviously pleased and looking forward to tomorrow."

Former Tech 1 Racing driver Roy Nissany set the fastest time in the morning session. The Israeli's effort of 1m30.553s was 0.437s quicker than reigning FR2.0 Eurocup and ALPS champion Jack Aitken.

RP Motorsport made its F3.5 V8 debut with Vitor Baptista, who it ran to this year's Euro Formula Open title, and the Brazilian's predecessor as Euro Formula Open champion Sandy Stuvik. Behind Fortec's Aitken, European Formula 3 racer Pietro Fittipaldi was third in the morning, shading Hughes by 0.026s.

Force India Formula 1 development driver Alfonso Celis Jr, who is already confirmed to remain with AVF for a second season in the category, set the fifth quickest time in the morning ahead of Fortec's Louis Deletraz.

Kevin Jorg was seventh for Lotus, while dual 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 race winner Egor Orudzhev was among those to head the timing screens in the first session, before slipping to eighth.

Arden driver Orudzhev was partnered by European Formula 3 race winner Markus Pommer on the opening day.

The 2014 German Formula 3 champion, Pommer will make way for GP3 frontrunner Antonio Fuoco for the final day of testing on Tuesday.

Orudzhev improved to third in the afternoon session, ahead of Fittipaldi, Nissany and Jorg.

Originally on Autosport.com