Petronas Sprinta’s Jake Dixon faced challenging conditions, multiple yellow flags and a late-session crash on the opening day of the FrenchGP.

Dixon bided his time before focusing on his time-attack runs in FP1 as cold temperatures and a damp but drying track dominated the morning’s practice, with the Brit’s 1’38.302 lap placing him seventh and firmly inside the top-14 after the opening 40-minutes. 

Despite immediately lapping faster than his earlier best as the afternoon got underway, the 25-year-old’s initial lap left him 17th on the timing screens before a turn nine crash in the final minutes prevented him from making further improvements. The Brit concluded his first day in France 25th overall with a fastest time of 1’38.081 but confident of improvements as the weekend unfolds. 

“It hasn’t been easy the last four races, for one reason or another, and crashes have happened, like today in FP2. I think the tyre was a little too cold” Dixon explained this afternoon.

“Finishing today in 25th position is not an ideal situation and I do feel a little annoyed, but it is what it is. Last year was great here, until the last few laps, so if we can finish the race Sunday it will be a bonus. 

“The rain can be a bit like a lottery at this circuit and when it is wet it can be very slippery in places. Anything can happen tomorrow and on race day and, although I’m not saying I prefer wet conditions, I do have a good feeling in the wet. 

“I think if tomorrow we are able to go through to Q2, fight for a good starting grid position, and we finish inside the top-ten on Sunday; then that will be a good result this weekend.”