Conor Daly F3 Report - Productive First Day GP3 Test For Daly In France

Paul Ricard Circuit France, Mar. 3, 2011: In what can only be described as wintery conditions at Circuit Paul Ricard in Southern France, Conor Daly had a very productive first day of testing for Carlin in the 2011 GP3 season. On wet tires in the morning session he was third fastest just before a change to slick dry tires in the last fifteen minutes before the lunch break. In his first run of the season on slick tires he was eleventh fastest.

After lunch he posted the sixth fastest time on slick dry tires before the rains came again. The rest of the afternoon was run in a mix of wet and very wet conditions. "It was a frustrating and satisfying day all rolled into one", said Conor. "Both dry tire runs were like qualifying sessions with just five quick burst laps and they were my first laps of the year on dry tires. It was hard to know how hard to push on a track that I have never been to before, but all in all, it was a very good day".

There are 30 drivers at the test from eighteen different countries. After day two tomorrow Conor will fly to Florida for his first Indy Lights test of the season with Sam Schmidt Motorsports in Sebring, Florida, March 8th.

Conor is the 2010 Formula Star Mazda champion having set records for number of race wins (7), number of pole positions, (9), number of podium finishes, (12), number of laps led and largest winning points margin ever. In 2008, he won the Walter Hayes Formula Ford Trophy in England for Team USA scholarship, the Ontario Formula Ford Rookie of the Year title and the Mazda Skip Barber National championship.