GP3 Testing - Series Wraps Up 2011 Program - Daly P13/15 With Carlin

Jerez, Dec. 3, 2011: Today marked the final day of GP3 Series™ post-season testing at Circuito De Jerez and the teams were greeted with cool temperatures in the morning. There was just one new face in paddock with Aaro Vainio returning to Lotus ART. Tom Blomqvist switched teams to Status Grand Prix, Facu Regalia also switched to the Irish team for Day 2. Conor Daly moved back to Carlin and Fabio Gamberini to RSC Mücke Motorsport.

After his impressive test in Valencia last week Daniel Abt was back on top of the time sheet this morning for reigning champions Lotus ART. The young German slotted straight into P1 at the start of the session until David Fuminelli took over the reins after twenty minutes. During the first hour of running sophomores Michael Christensen, Marlon Stockinger and Matias Laine also took their turns at the top until Abt moved ahead once again with a 1:33.885 lap leaving the rest of the field to battle it out for second.

With one hour left on the clock rain began to fall over the Spanish track and Abt’s place at the top of the time sheet was secured for the remainder of the session. Laine was just 0.055 seconds behind in second ahead of Fumenelli, Stockinger and Maxim Zimin.

By the time the lights turned green to mark the start of the afternoon session the rain had stopped and the sun was starting to break through once more. Vainio was top for Lotus ART until after thirty minutes Abt snatched P1 from his teammate and Daly then moved up into second for Carlin. As the track started to dry and the times dropped Gabby Chaves, Robert Visiou, Gamberini and Christensen all fought for the top spot until Tio Ellinas snatched P1 with 45 minutes left in the session.

As the clock counted down the GP3 machines all headed out with fresh rubber, but a high number of red flags meant it was tough for the young drivers to put together flying laps. The final battle for P1 looked like it was going to be between Fuminelli, Visiou and Patric Niederhauser who were swapping quickest times, but with just six minutes left in the session Laine snatched the top spot with a 1:36.446 lap bumping Visiou down into second. Nigel Melker then moved up into third ahead of Niederhauser and Fumanelli.

GP3 Series™ will be back on track in February next year for 2012 pre-season testing.

MORNING TIMES:

1 1 Daniel ABT GER LOTUS ART 32 1:33.885

2 12 Matias LAINE FIN MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 21 1:33.940 0.055

3 26 David FUMANELLI ITA MW ARDEN 29 1:34.156 0.271

4 4 Marlon STOCKINGER PHI STATUS GRAND PRIX 18 1:34.280 0.395

5 28 Maxim ZIMIN RUS MW ARDEN 30 1:34.353 0.468

6 10 Tio ELLINAS GBR MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 27 1:34.386 0.501

7 31 Michael CHRISTENSEN DEN RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 19 1:34.663 0.778

8 24 Nigel MELKER NED TRIDENT RACING 26 1:34.749 0.864

9 27 Brandon MAISANO FRA MW ARDEN 33 1:34.798 0.913

10 5 Tom BLOMQVIST GBR STATUS GRAND PRIX 26 1:34.801 0.916

11 19 Gabby CHAVES COL TECH 1 RACING 23 1:34.831 0.946

12 6 Facu REGALIA ARG STATUS GRAND PRIX 23 1:34.836 0.951

13 14 Conor DALY USA CARLIN 37 1:34.842 0.957

14 2 Aaro VAINIO FIN LOTUS ART 26 1:34.849 0.964

15 8 Patric NIEDERHAUSER SUI JENZER MOTORSPORT 24 1:34.911 1.026

16 9 Michael HECHE SUI JENZER MOTORSPORT 36 1:34.927 1.042

17 7 Robert VISOIU ROM JENZER MOTORSPORT 24 1:34.961 1.076

18 23 Stephan RICHELMI MON TRIDENT RACING 36 1:35.011 1.126

19 18 Alex FONTANA SUI TECH 1 RACING 19 1:35.039 1.154

20 30 Fabio GAMBERINI BRA RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 29 1:35.139 1.254

21 22 Tamas PAL KISS HUN ATECH CRS GP 28 1:35.202 1.317

22 11 Dmitry SURANOVICH RUS MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 25 1:35.417 1.532

23 17 Kristian LINDBOM AUS TECH 1 RACING 17 1:35.630 1.745

24 16 Jim PLA FRA CARLIN 39 1:36.086 2.201

25 20 Ethan RINGEL USA ATECH CRS GP 24 1:37.127 3.242

26 25 Michela CERRUTI ITA TRIDENT RACING 27 1:38.003 4.118

AFTERNOON TIMES:

1 12 Matias LAINE FIN MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 26 1:36.446

2 7 Robert VISOIU ROM JENZER MOTORSPORT 28 1:36.816 0.370

3 24 Nigel MELKER NED TRIDENT RACING 45 1:36.824 0.378

4 8 Patric NIEDERHAUSER SUI JENZER MOTORSPORT 30 1:36.937 0.491

5 26 David FUMANELLI ITA MW ARDEN 22 1:36.945 0.499

6 9 Michael HECHE SUI JENZER MOTORSPORT 51 1:36.960 0.514

7 18 Alex FONTANA SUI TECH 1 RACING 32 1:37.021 0.575

8 5 Tom BLOMQVIST GBR STATUS GRAND PRIX 14 1:37.048 0.602

9 31 Michael CHRISTENSEN DEN RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 23 1:37.094 0.648

10 19 Gabby CHAVES COL TECH 1 RACING 16 1:37.507 1.061

11 4 Marlon STOCKINGER PHI STATUS GRAND PRIX 33 1:37.518 1.072

12 27 Brandon MAISANO FRA MW ARDEN 23 1:37.531 1.085

13 10 Tio ELLINAS GBR MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 35 1:37.573 1.127

14 23 Stephan RICHELMI MON TRIDENT RACING 24 1:37.748 1.302

15 14 Conor DALY USA CARLIN 25 1:37.755 1.309

16 22 Tamas PAL KISS HUN ATECH CRS GP 35 1:37.772 1.326

17 11 Dmitry SURANOVICH RUS MARUSSIA MANOR RACING 16 1:38.002 1.556

18 6 Facu REGALIA ARG STATUS GRAND PRIX 26 1:38.100 1.654

19 30 Fabio GAMBERINI BRA RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 35 1:38.171 1.725

20 2 Aaro VAINIO FIN LOTUS ART 29 1:38.225 1.779

21 28 Maxim ZIMIN RUS MW ARDEN 26 1:38.273 1.827

22 16 Jim PLA FRA CARLIN 28 1:38.624 2.178

23 1 Daniel ABT GER LOTUS ART 45 1:38.689 2.243

24 17 Kristian LINDBOM AUS TECH 1 RACING 30 1:39.058 2.612

25 25 Michela CERRUTI ITA TRIDENT RACING 22 1:39.301 2.855

26 20 Ethan RINGEL USA ATECH CRS GP 51 1:45.412 8.966