GP3 Testing - Ellinas Tops Day 1 At Circuito De Jerez - Daly P10/P17

Barcelona, Dec. 1, 2011: The final 2011 GP3 Series™ post season test kicked off today at Circuito De Jerez in sunny but cool morning conditions. Familiar faces in the paddock included Daniel Abt who was last week’s quickest man in Valencia, and American Conor Daly who joined the German at Lotus ART. Italian Formula Arbath Champion Patric Niederhauser was back after an impressive first test last week with Jenzer Motorsport. GP3 regulars Matias Laine and Marlon Stockinger also returned to the field. New faces included David Fumanelli, who impressed on his first day of testing with MW Arden.

Alex Fontana was first to top the time sheet for Tech 1 Racing this morning, until Daly moved ahead on his Lotus ART debut. Thirty minutes into the session, 2011 third place driver Nigel Melker, working with new team Trident, broke the 1:35 barrier putting him P1 ahead of rookies Abt and Fumanelli. Fontana then reclaimed the top spot, but it was short lived as Ellinas found extra pace. The Cypriot driver moved to the top of the time sheet just one hour into the session and with the rest of the field unable to match his fastest time, he held onto the spot for the remainder of the session. Fuminelli was just 0.050 seconds behind in second followed by Laine, Maxim Zimin and Fontana.

With just a few cars out on track at the start of the afternoon session, Facu Regalia was top for Lotus ART followed by Abt and Daly. Abt then moved ahead of his teammate into P1 and except from a brief spell at the top for Kristian Lindbom, took control of the session until the final twenty minutes. First to improve on the German’s time was Argentinean Regalia who was closely followed by Laine in P2. Ellinas then moved ahead and the Manor driver looked set to dominate the times on Day 1, but with just minutes remaining Fumanelli grabbed the top spot. Ellinas had to settle for second spot ahead of Regalia, Laine and Blomqvist.

Testing will resume tomorrow at 09:00 am local time.

MORNING TIMES:

1 10 Tio ELLINAS GBR MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 1:34.748

2 26 David FUMANELLI ITA MW ARDEN 1:34.798 0.050

3 12 Matias LAINE FIN MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 1:34.819 0.071

4 28 Maxim ZIMIN RUS MW ARDEN 1:34.937 0.189

5 18 Alex FONTANA SUI TECH 1 RACING 1:34.988 0.240

6 7 Robert VISOIU ROM JENZER MOTORSPORT 1:35.015 0.267

7 14 Tom BLOMQVIST GBR CARLIN 1:35.039 0.291

8 1 Daniel ABT GER LOTUS ART 1:35.058 0.310

9 22 Tamas PAL KISS HUN ATECH CRS GP 1:35.059 0.311

10 2 Conor DALY USA LOTUS ART 1:35.146 0.398

11 9 Michael HECHE SUI JENZER MOTORSPORT 1:35.222 0.474

12 24 Nigel MELKER NED TRIDENT RACING 1:35.267 0.519

13 31 Michael CHRISTENSEN DEN RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 1:35.344 0.596

14 19 Gabby CHAVES COL TECH 1 RACING 1:35.374 0.626

15 8 Patric NIEDERHAUSER SUI JENZER MOTORSPORT 1:35.424 0.676

16 4 Marlon STOCKINGER PHI STATUS GRAND PRIX 1:35.477 0.729

17 30 Pascal WEHRLEIN GER RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 1:35.669 0.921

18 27 Brandon MAISANO FRA MW ARDEN 1:36.090 1.342

19 5 Kotaro SAKURAI JPN STATUS GRAND PRIX 1:36.307 1.559

20 23 Stephan RICHELMI MON TRIDENT RACING 1:36.366 1.618

21 11 Dmitry SURANOVICH RUS MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 1:36.372 1.624

22 16 Jim PLA FRA CARLIN 1:36.405 1.657

23 17 Kristian LINDBOM AUS TECH 1 RACING 1:36.438 1.690

24 3 Facu REGALIA ARG LOTUS ART 1:36.838 2.090

25 6 Fabio GAMBERINI BRA STATUS GRAND PRIX 1:37.239 2.491

26 25 Michela CERRUTI ITA TRIDENT RACING 1:38.509 3.761

27 20 Ethan RINGEL USA ATECH CRS GP 1:39.101 4.353

AFTERNOON TIMES:

1 26 David FUMANELLI ITA MW ARDEN 1:34.971

2 10 Tio ELLINAS GBR MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 1:35.453 0.482

3 3 Facu REGALIA ARG LOTUS ART 1:35.587 0.616

4 12 Matias LAINE FIN MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 1:35.604 0.633

5 14 Tom BLOMQVIST GBR CARLIN 1:35.701 0.730

6 1 Daniel ABT GER LOTUS ART 1:35.726 0.755

7 19 Gabby CHAVES COL TECH 1 RACING 1:35.730 0.759

8 4 Marlon STOCKINGER PHI STATUS GRAND PRIX 1:35.788 0.817

9 28 Maxim ZIMIN RUS MW ARDEN 1:35.799 0.828

10 24 Nigel MELKER NED TRIDENT RACING 1:35.814 0.843

11 27 Brandon MAISANO FRA MW ARDEN 1:35.872 0.901

12 22 Tamas PAL KISS HUN ATECH CRS GP 1:35.926 0.955

13 30 Pascal WEHRLEIN GER RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 1:35.937 0.966

14 18 Alex FONTANA SUI TECH 1 RACING 1:35.960 0.989

15 23 Stephan RICHELMI MON TRIDENT RACING 1:35.974 1.003

16 8 Patric NIEDERHAUSER SUI JENZER MOTORSPORT 1:35.976 1.005

17 2 Conor DALY USA LOTUS ART 1:35.987 1.016

18 5 Kotaro SAKURAI JPN STATUS GRAND PRIX 1:36.176 1.205

19 31 Michael CHRISTENSEN DEN RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 1:36.197 1.226

20 9 Michael HECHE SUI JENZER MOTORSPORT 1:36.254 1.283

21 16 Jim PLA FRA CARLIN 1:36.520 1.549

22 6 Fabio GAMBERINI BRA STATUS GRAND PRIX 1:36.520 1.549

23 7 Robert VISOIU ROM JENZER MOTORSPORT 1:36.721 1.750

24 17 Kristian LINDBOM AUS TECH 1 RACING 1:36.905 1.934

25 11 Dmitry SURANOVICH RUS MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 1:37.004 2.033

26 20 Ethan RINGEL USA ATECH CRS GP 1:37.637 2.666

27 25 Michela CERRUTI ITA TRIDENT RACING 1:38.427 3.456