Giovinazzi Tops Incident-Filled Imola FP3

Photo: Ferrari

Antonio Giovinazzi led the way in an incident-filled Free Practice 3 at Imola, which was impacted by two red flags and a Full Course Yellow.

The Italian driver at the wheel of the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 499P reeled off a best lap of 1:30.272 to edge out teammate Antonio Fuoco by 0.063 seconds.

Stoffel Vandoorne was third quickest in the No. 94 Peugeot 9X8, while Sebastien Bourdais was credited with the fourth quickest time in the No. 38 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R.

Ryo Hirakawa completed the top-five in the No. 8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid, which was handed a five-minute stop-and-hold penalty late in the running for a FCY procedure infraction.

The session was marred by incidents from the start, with the No. 12 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R of Alex Lynn suffering a spin and impact into the barriers at Rivazza 1 with just five minutes completed.

Moments after the resumption of the session, Robert Kubica stopped at Piratella with flames reported out of the rear of his third-string No. 83 Ferrari.

It was followed by a FCY for the No. 38 JOTA Cadillac of Sebastien Bourdais, who spun at the exit of Turn 4 after losing control of the car over the curbs.

There were numerous other off-course excursions that did not result in any stoppages, including ones for Stoffel Vandoorne and Marco Sorensen in the No. 94 Peugeot 9X8 and No. 009 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Valkyrie, respectively.

LMGT3 was led by Esteban Masson in the No. 78 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F GT3, thanks to a late flyer of 1:42.852.

It pipped the two AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3s, which were atop the time sheets for the majority of the session.

Qualifying gets underway at 2:30 p.m. CEST (8:30 a.m. EST).

RESULTS: Free Practice 3