The final showdown of the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine is officially underway, as all 31 cars hit the track today for the Pre-Event Collective Test at the iconic Monza circuit. The session, held in the afternoon under persistent rain, saw drivers tackle a fully wet track for the entirety of the four-hour test. Despite the tricky conditions, the field produced some good lap times, with Ugo Ugochukwu (Prema Racing) leading the pack with a fastest lap of 1’55″191.

Also performing well was Italian driver Brando Badoer (Van Amersfoort Racing), who has his sights set on a top-three finish in the overall standings this weekend, finishing just 38 thousandths of a second behind the American.

ART Grand Prix teammates Evan Giltaire and Alessandro Giusti also impressed, taking third and fourth place, respectively. Giltaire, currently in contention for the rookie title, continued to build momentum, while Giusti, fighting for a spot in the championship top three, delivered a solid performance in the wet.

Pedro Clerot (VAR) set the pace during the early stages of the session, but ultimately finished fifth. The young Brazilian was followed closely by Enzo Deligny (R-ace GP), the youngest driver in the field, who secured sixth place in challenging conditions.

Tuukka Taponen (R-ace GP), eager to bounce back after a difficult second race in Barcelona where he was forced to retire, finished seventh. He was followed by Alpine Academy’s Nicola Lacorte (Trident), who posted the eighth-best time, ahead of reigning champion Rafael Camara (Prema Racing), who settled for ninth place. Rounding out the top 10 was Théophile Naël (Saintéloc Racing), who continues to show strong potential in the final stages of the season.

The drivers will return to the track tomorrow for the first Collective Test session, scheduled to begin at 10:00, as the final weekend of the championship kicks into high gear.