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