Quickest in today’s Extra Free Practice went to a tying Norwegian Marit Strømøy and Philippe Chiappe with a best tour of 47.70sec apiece.

A mere 0.81 seconds separated the top seven drivers as the pressure and excitement begins to mount in advance of the weekend’s showdown between Alex Carella and Chiappe of the CTIC Shenzhen China Team for the World Championship.

Team Abu Dhabi’s three-time World Champion Alex Carella needs a podium finish in Friday’s race to guarantee a fourth world title and he ran his DAC for 14 laps, carding a best of 48.51sec to slot into seventh place.

Photos: Mike Powell

2017 Grand Prix of Sharjah – free practice times (Wednesday):

1. Philippe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team 47.70sec

1. Marit Strømøy (NOR) Emirates Racing Team 47.70sec

3. Rashed Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 48.21sec

4. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team 48.28sec

5. Shaun Torrente (USA) Victory Team 48.33sec

6. Erik Stark (SWE) Team Sweden 48.42sec

7. Alex Carella (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 48.51sec

8. Duarte Benavente (PRT) F1 Atlantic Team 49.39sec

9. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 49.58sec

10. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Sweden 49.70sec

11. Thani Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 49.95sec

12. Ahmed Al-Hameli (UAE) Victory Team 50.22sec

13. Erik Edin (SWE) Team Sweden 50.55sec

14. Filip Roms (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 50.89sec

15. Francesco Cantando (ITA) Blaze F1 Team 52.67sec

16. Grant Trask (AUS) F1 Atlantic Team 1min 01.59sec

Bartek Marszalak (POL) Blaze F1 Team DNS

Mike Szymura (DEU) Emirates Racing Team DNS

Béranger Robert (FRA) Maverick F1 Team DNS

Cédric Deguisne (FRA) Maverick F1 Team DNS

Matthew Palfreyman (GBR) Emirates Racing Team DNS