GP2 Kobayashi and Dams on top form

 The championship leader set the pace today during the Free Practice of the third round of the GP2 Asia Series in Bahrain. Two months after outshining all his competitors in Dubai, Kamui Kobayashi has once again taken the top spot today in Bahrain, this time in free practice. He set the fastest laptime in a 1:42.642, half  a  second  quicker  than  his  closest  rival  of  the  session. 

The  other  Dams  car,  with  Jérôme d’Ambrosio at the wheel, set the third fastest laptime, proving if need be that the French team has become the Metronome of the GP2 Asia Series this season. Rookie Nico Hülkenberg at ART Grand Prix started his GP2 career with a bang: for his first time at  the  Bahraini  track,  the  young  German  signed  the  second  fastest  laptime  in  a  1:43.221  while GP2  Asia  returnee  Marco  Bonanomi  placed  his  Meritus.Mahara  car  in  fourth  ahead  of  another impressive rookie, Edoardo Mortara at Arden Motorsport.

Race  winner  Roldan  Rodriguez  and  his  teammate  Diego  Nunes  quickly  followed  in  sixth  and seventh.  James  Jakes,  Giedo  Van  der  Garde  and  Javier  Villa  completed  the  top  10.  It  was  a difficult session for Davide Valsecchi and Earl Bamber, respectively 13th and 18th. The qualifying session will start at 4:00pm today, local time.

Bahrain – Free Practice

Driver Team Time Laps

1. Kamui Kobayashi Dams 1:42.642 13

2. Nico Hülkenberg ART Grand Prix 1:43.221 13

3. Jérôme d’Ambrosio Dams 1:43.444 16

4. Marco Bonanomi My Qi-Meritus.Mahara 1:43.520 13

5. Edoardo Mortara Arden Int. Motorsport 1:43.576 14

6. Roldan Rodriguez Piquet GP 1:43.577 15

7. Diego Nunes Piquet GP 1:43.597 12

 8. James Jakes Super Nova Racing 1:43.872 15

9. Giedo Van der Garde GFH Team iSport 1:44.001 15

10. Javier Villa Super Nova Racing 1:44.024 14

11. Vitaly Petrov Barwa Int. Campos Team 1:44.027 11

12. Luiz Razia Arden Int. Motorsport 1:44.037 14

13. Davide Valsecchi Durango 1:44.095 12

14. Sergio Perez Barwa Int. Campos Team 1:44.113 14

15. Sakon Yamamoto ART Grand Prix 1:44.185 11

16. Hamad Al Fardan GFH Team iSport 1:44.492 9

17. Yelmer Buurman Ocean Racing Technology 1:44.521 13

18. Earl Bamber My Qi-Meritus.Mahara 1:44.666 12

19. Adrian Valles Trident Racing 1:44.907 13

20 Michael Herck DPR 1:44.949 13

21. Giacomo Ricci DPR 1:45.142 14

22. Fabio Crestani Ocean Racing Technology 1:45.532 15

 23. Rodolfo Gonzalez Fisichella Motor Sport Int. 1:45.563 15

24. Francesco Provenzano Tridetn Racing 1:45.828 14

25. Michael Dalle Stelle Durango 1:46.053 16

26 Kevin Nai Chia Chen Fisichella Motor Sport Int. 1:47.023 17


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