Moscow FR3.5: Sauber F1 junior Sergey Sirotkin tops Friday practice
Sergey Sirotkin led the way on home soil in Formula Renault 3.5 free practice at Moscow Raceway on Friday
The Sauber Formula 1 test driver moved to the top of the times with eight minutes remaining in the afternoon session, setting a best lap half a second clear of the rest of the field.
The Russian's place at the top of the order was secured when the session was red-flagged with three minutes to go, meaning that the traditional end-of-session improvements throughout the field were cut short.
That left Zoel Amberg as Sirotkin's nearest challenger, ahead of Roberto Merhi, Norman Nato and Richie Stanaway.
Morning pacesetter Will Stevens was sixth fastest by the end of the day's running, just ahead of fellow title contender Oliver Rowland, who had led the way early on in second practice.
Championship leader Carlos Sainz Jr - who unlike his nearest rivals has never raced at the Russian circuit before - was only 12th fastest, having slipped down the order once others started to improve in the final 10 minutes.
Morning session: Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Will Stevens Strakka 1m21.961s 2. Richie Stanaway Lotus 1m22.013s +0.052s 3. Norman Nato DAMS 1m22.253s +0.292s 4. Carlos Sainz Jr DAMS 1m22.316s +0.355s 5. Pierre Gasly Arden 1m22.563s +0.602s 6. Sergey Sirotkin Fortec 1m22.581s +0.620s 7. Oliver Rowland Fortec 1m22.618s +0.657s 8. Pietro Fantin Draco 1m22.725s +0.764s 9. Matias Laine Strakka 1m22.737s +0.776s 10. Roberto Merhi Zeta 1m22.908s +0.947s 11. Will Buller Arden 1m22.927s +0.966s 12. Marlon Stockinger Lotus 1m23.071s +1.110s 13. Luca Ghiotto Draco 1m23.170s +1.209s 14. Zoel Amberg AVF 1m23.272s +1.311s 15. Roman Mavlanov Zeta 1m23.344s +1.383s 16. Meindert van Buuren Pons 1m23.353s +1.392s 17. Marco Sorensen Tech 1 1m23.382s +1.421s 18. Beitske Visser AVF 1m23.536s +1.575s 19. Jazeman Jaafar ISR 1m23.671s +1.710s 20. Oscar Tunjo Pons 1m24.238s +2.277s Afternoon session: Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Sergey Sirotkin Fortec 1m20.723s 2. Zoel Amberg AVF 1m21.239s +0.516s 3. Roberto Merhi Zeta 1m21.295s +0.572s 4. Norman Nato DAMS 1m21.321s +0.598s 5. Richie Stanaway Lotus 1m21.387s +0.664s 6. Will Stevens Strakka 1m21.515s +0.792s 7. Oliver Rowland Fortec 1m21.570s +0.847s 8. Will Buller Arden 1m21.677s +0.954s 9. Matias Laine Strakka 1m21.756s +1.033s 10. Jazeman Jaafar ISR 1m21.784s +1.061s 11. Marlon Stockinger Lotus 1m21.957s +1.234s 12. Carlos Sainz Jr DAMS 1m21.970s +1.247s 13. Oscar Tunjo Pons 1m21.976s +1.253s 14. Pietro Fantin Draco 1m21.996s +1.273s 15. Pierre Gasly Arden 1m22.066s +1.343s 16. Meindert van Buuren Pons 1m22.472s +1.749s 17. Beitske Visser AVF 1m22.479s +1.756s 18. Roman Mavlanov Zeta 1m22.730s +2.007s 19. Marco Sorensen Tech 1 1m22.736s +2.013s 20. Luca Ghiotto Draco 1m22.788s +2.065s
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