GP3
DAVID FUMANELLI FASTEST ON FINAL DAY OF TESTING AT SILVERSTONE –
Trident’s David Fumanelli tops timings on day 2 in Silverstone
Italian racer David Fumanelli posted the fastest time of the Silverstone two-day test with a 1:45.213 set in the morning session. This was a very impressive lap as it was a mammoth 4.9 seconds quicker than the GP3 lap record set in Silverstone last year, again showing the performance and speed of the new GP3/13 car and providing a very positive conclusion to pre-season testing. Tio Ellinas (Marussia Manor Racing) was quickest in the afternoon session.
It was another bitterly cold day at the Northamptonshire circuit as the drivers braved the conditions for the final day of testing in temperatures of just two degrees. The MW Arden duo of Robert Visoiu and Carlos Sainz Jnr, along with ART Grand Prix drivers’ Jack Harvey and Facu Regalia were first to set competitive lap-times. Spaniard Sainz Jnr broke into the 1m46s barrier early on with a half a second advantage over Fumanelli.
There was a short halt in proceedings when Bamboo Engineering’s Carmen Jorda spun, once the action resumed, Koiranen GP’s Aaro Vainio made his way to the top of the timings. Adderly Fong (Status Grand Prix) stopped on track which brought the second red flag of the day. Marussia Manor Racing’s Dino Zamparelli flew to P1 with the quickest time of the two-day test at that point before Regalia demoted the Brit’ to P2 and became the first driver to dip into the 1m45s, 3 tenths faster.
With one hour left on the clock, all eyes were on Fumanelli as he posted a stunning laptime to go 6 tenths clear of the Argentine. Alex Fontana (Jenzer Motorsport) and Sainz Jnr rose to P3 and P4 whilst there was a third red flag with a second spin for Jorda in the final moments of the session.
The order at the chequered flag was Fumanelli, Regalia, Fontana, Sainz Jnr, Zamparelli, Vainio, Melville McKee (Bamboo Engineering), Ellinas, Giovanni Venturini (Trident) and Nick Cassidy (Marussia Manor Racing).
Most drivers in the afternoon session concentrated on long runs in preparation for the upcoming races. Koiranen GP’s Kevin Korjus was first to go P1 until Jack Harvey (ART Grand Prix) and Ellinas shot to the top of timesheets at the midway point. With just over one hour remaining, Regalia went fastest until Ellinas reclaimed back his position at the head of the timings.
Conor Daly moved up the order, posting the fourth quickest time as the minutes ticked down. Standings at the chequered flag were Ellinas, Regalia, Harvey, Daly, Venturini, Cassidy, Nick Yelloly, Vainio, Zamparelli and Korjus.
Jenzer Motorsport’s Samin Gomez did not participate in the test today due to illness.
The opening round of the 2013 season gets underway at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona on 11-13 May and it promises to be a thrilling season with the introduction of the second generation car.
Day 2: Morning Session
|
|
Driver
|
Team
|
Laptime
|
Laps
|
|
1.
|
David Fumanelli
|
Trident
|
1:45.213
|
24
|
|
2.
|
Facu Regalia
|
ART Grand Prix
|
1:45.855
|
25
|
|
3.
|
Alex Fontana
|
Jenzer Motorsport
|
1:46.040
|
31
|
|
4.
|
Carlos Sainz Jnr
|
MW Arden
|
1:46.107
|
25
|
|
5.
|
Dino Zamparelli
|
Marussia Manor Racing
|
1:46.157
|
27
|
|
6.
|
Aaro Vainio
|
Koiranen GP
|
1:46.226
|
24
|
|
7.
|
Melville McKee
|
Bamboo Engineering
|
1:46.262
|
16
|
|
8.
|
Tio Ellinas
|
Marussia Manor Racing
|
1:46.281
|
21
|
|
9.
|
Giovanni Venturini
|
Trident
|
1:46.282
|
23
|
|
10.
|
Nick Cassidy
|
Marussia Manor Racing
|
1:46.336
|
31
|
|
11.
|
Jack Harvey
|
ART Grand Prix
|
1:46.350
|
28
|
|
12.
|
Robert Visoiu
|
MW Arden
|
1:46.399
|
36
|
|
13.
|
Patrick Kujala
|
Koiranen GP
|
1:46.406
|
19
|
|
14.
|
Conor Daly
|
ART Grand Prix
|
1:46.437
|
25
|
|
15.
|
Nick Yelloly
|
Carlin
|
1:46.468
|
20
|
|
16.
|
Felipe Guimaraes
|
Bamboo Engineering
|
1:46.526
|
32
|
|
17.
|
Daniil Kvyat
|
MW Arden
|
1:46.539
|
20
|
|
18.
|
Patric Niederhauser
|
Jenzer Motorsport
|
1:46.888
|
35
|
|
19.
|
Emanuele Zonzini
|
Trident
|
1:47.039
|
33
|
|
20.
|
Kevin Korjus
|
Koiranen GP
|
1:47.312
|
11
|
|
21.
|
Eric Lichtenstein
|
Carlin
|
1:47.388
|
23
|
|
22.
|
Luis Sa Silva
|
Carlin
|
1:47.869
|
18
|
|
23.
|
Josh Webster
|
Status Grand Prix
|
1:48.380
|
21
|
|
24.
|
Jimmy Eriksson
|
Status Grand Prix
|
1:48.754
|
22
|
|
25.
|
Adderly Fong
|
Status Grand Prix
|
1:49.760
|
15
|
|
26.
|
Carmen Jorda
|
Bamboo Engineering
|
1:50.519
|
17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Day 2: Afternoon Session*
|
|
Driver
|
Team
|
Laptime
|
Laps
|
|
1.
|
Tio Ellinas
|
Marussia Manor Racing
|
1:45.821
|
20
|
|
2.
|
Facu Regalia
|
ART Grand Prix
|
1:46.194
|
33
|
|
3.
|
Jack Harvey
|
ART Grand Prix
|
1:46.266
|
34
|
|
4.
|
Conor Daly
|
ART Grand Prix
|
1:46.407
|
28
|
|
5.
|
Giovanni Venturini
|
Trident
|
1:46.440
|
37
|
|
6.
|
Nick Cassidy
|
Marussia Manor Racing
|
1:46.476
|
21
|
|
7.
|
Nick Yelloly
|
Carlin
|
1:46.483
|
32
|
|
8.
|
Aaro Vainio
|
Koiranen GP
|
1:46.496
|
15
|
|
9.
|
Dino Zamparelli
|
Marussia Manor Racing
|
1:46.543
|
18
|
|
10.
|
Kevin Korjus
|
Koiranen GP
|
1:46.650
|
14
|
|
11.
|
Patric Niederhauser
|
Jenzer Motorsport
|
1:46.876
|
27
|
|
12.
|
Josh Webster
|
Status Grand Prix
|
1:47.004
|
22
|
|
13.
|
Adderly Fong
|
Status Grand Prix
|
1:47.056
|
23
|
|
14.
|
Emanuele Zonzini
|
Trident
|
1:47.109
|
37
|
|
15.
|
Felipe Guimaraes
|
Bamboo Engineering
|
1:47.385
|
30
|
|
16.
|
Daniil Kvyat
|
MW Arden
|
1:47.480
|
24
|
|
17.
|
Carlos Sainz Jnr
|
MW Arden
|
1:47.514
|
24
|
|
18.
|
Jimmy Eriksson
|
Status Grand Prix
|
1:47.629
|
36
|
|
19.
|
Luis Sa Silva
|
Carlin
|
1:48.036
|
31
|
|
20.
|
Robert Visoiu
|
MW Arden
|
1:48.115
|
20
|
|
21.
|
Eric Lichtenstein
|
Carlin
|
1:48.234
|
44
|
|
22.
|
Melville McKee
|
Bamboo Engineering
|
1:48.276
|
23
|
|
23.
|
David Fumanelli
|
Trident
|
1:48.731
|
24
|
|
24.
|
Patrick Kujala
|
Koiranen GP
|
1:48.918
|
18
|
|
25.
|
Carmen Jorda
|
Bamboo Engineering
|
1:50.540
|
21
|