DPR driver quickest in GP2 Series first day of last winter test session in Le Castellet
For the last three-day test session of the year, the GP2 paddock flew to Paul Ricard this week.
American Jake Rosenzweig at Super Nova Racing was the only newcomer on the track yesterday. On a 3D configuration and under the sunshine, DPR Michael Herck signed the best laptime in the morning one tenth quicker than rookie Oliver Turvey at iSport International.
GP2 Asia race winner Christian Vietoris confirmed his good form: at the wheel of the Fat Burner Racing Engineer car, the German completed this morning’s Top 3, only five thousands slower than Turvey. Thirteen drivers posted times within one second and five rookies finished in the top 10. In the afternoon session, Romanian Herck claimed again the top spot, improving his laptime by seven tenths. Already quick in GP2 Asia third season opening event in Abu Dhabi Fabio Leimer at Fat Burner Racing Engineering and Sam Bird at ART Grand Prix completed the Top 3, the Swiss ace finishing best rookie of the day.
In fourth, Turvey kept on making a good impression while GP2 Asia Series leader Davide Valsecchi finished with the fifth quickest laptime of the day at the wheel of the second iSport car.
This test session will continue today at 9am local time and on a similar track configuration. Roldan Rodriguez (Racing Engineering), Jules Bianchi (ART), Marcus Ericsson (Arden), Josef Kral (Super Nova), Kazimeras Vasiliauskas (Trident), Andrea Caldarelli (Party Poker) and Antonio Felix da Costa (Ocean Racing) will join the session.
Morning results
Driver License Team Time Laps
1. Michael Herck ROM DPR 1:12.976 25 2. Oliver Turvey GBR iSport International 1:13.094 17 3. Christian Vietoris GER Fat Burner Racing Eng. 1:13.099 27 4. Jerome d’Ambrosio BEL Barwa Addax Team 1:13.138 33 5. Sam Bird GBR ART Grand Prix 1:13.244 23 6. Fabio Leimer SUI Fat Burner Racing Eng. 1:13.266 37 7. James Jakes GBR Super Nova Racing 1:13.321 21 8. Alberto Valerio BRA DAMS 1:13.326 23 9. Karun Chandhok IND Party Poker Racing.com SC 1:13.373 15 10. Esteban Gutierrez MEX Telmex Arden International 1:13.439 32 11. Max Chilton GBR Barwa Addax Team 1:13.560 23 12. Alexander Rossi USA DAMS 1:13.562 37 13. Stefano Coletti MON Piquet GP 1:13.591 22 14. Davide Valsecchi ITA iSport International 1:14.004 16 15. Charles Pic FRA Ocean Racing Technology 1:14.267 29 16. William Bratt GBR Party Poker Racing.com SC 1:14.365 22 17. Rodolfo Gonzalez VEN Ocean Racing Technology 1:14.385 32 18. Vladimir Arabadzhiev BUL Piquet GP 1:14.519 29 19. Jake Rosenzweig USA Super Nova Racing 1:14.561 17 20 Jan Charouz CZE ART Grand Prix 1:14.639 31 21. Luiz Razia BRA Telmex Arden International 1:15.289 8 22. Kevin Nai Chia Chen USA Trident Racing 1:15:730 24 24. Plamen Kralev BUL Trident Racing 1:17.638 25
