The drivers entered for the FIA F3 European Championship took part in the first 2-day collective test session of the 2013 season on the Circuit de Catalunya. At the end of the second day 18 cars were covered by one second. This bodes well for the coming season, which looks like being an open, hotly-disputed one.

The first test session of the season always provides the opportunity to assess the drivers and get a first glimpse of the potential front-runners. The first conclusion to be drawn from the two days’ running on the Circuit de Catalunya is pretty clear: the FIA F3 European Championship field is very closely matched. No driver really stood out as a different leader topped the time sheets in each of the four sessions.

On Friday, Raffaele Marciello (Prema Powerteam) was quickest and he was the first to really go for it. “It’s very instructive to finally race against all the drivers I’ll be battling with,” said the Italian who carries the colours of the Ferrari Driver Academy. “We received some new parts just before the test so we had a big development programme to run through; we weren’t really looking for all-out performance, all the more so as there aren’t any races on this circuit. It’s encouraging to have set the fastest time on the first day, but it’s only free practice after all. Monza’s where we’ll have to be in front!”

On Saturday, British drivers fought back as William Buller (ThreeBond with T-Sport) was quickest ahead of his fellow-countrymen, F3 debutant Jordan King (Carlin) and Harry Tincknell (Carlin). “I have to say that the first test session’s gone well,” explained Buller, who set the fastest time of the two days with a lap in 1:40.812. “Where I’m concerned this season’s going to be a big technical challenge as we have a rather new Nissan engine. We’re working well with the Japanese, I’ve even picked up a few words in their language!”

The drivers are now aware of the challenge they’re facing and they know that the tiniest slip-up will cost them dearly in such a competitive field. “This season’s going to be an extremely hotly-contested one, and it’s very important for the championship to see so many drivers at this level,” was how Australian Mitchell Gilbert (kfzeile24 Mücke Motorsport) analysed the situation. “If you’re a second off the pace of the quickest, you won’t be seventh or eighth, but down around twentieth place!”

The thirty or so drivers and the 12 teams entered this season have a few days to analyse all the data gathered in Barcelona. They will then set off for Monza for another two days’ collective test just before the first round of the season on 22-24 March. And only after the opening race will the results start to take on any significance.