GP2
JAMES CALADO ON TOP ON FINAL DAY OF TESTING AT JEREZ-
ART Grand Prix driver ends final pre-season test day at the top of the timesheets
James Calado concluded his week’s work in the best possible way. Lasts season’s best rookie was quickest today at Circuito de Jerez with a laptime of 1:24.659 set this afternoon. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs set the best laptime in the morning for newcomers MP Motorsport.
The final day of GP2 Series testing in Jerez started in a different setting as overnight rain dampened the circuit. When the pitlane opened, most drivers opted to feed to the track on wet weather tyres. The sun was quick to make a welcome appearance though. Johnny Cecotto set the early pace, but as the track dried up and drivers switched to hard or medium compounds, the laptimes improved slowly. It was a trouble free session bar a short red flag, courtesy of Cecotto who stopped on track. Stéphane Richelmi was the first man to dip under 1m28s, but his teammate Marcus Ericsson claimed the top spot as the session entered into its final hour.
In the closing minutes, the proceedings were briefly halted after Jolyon Palmer stopped his Carlin car on track. At the restart, Quaife-Hobbs snatched the top spot from Ericsson. Richelmi also improved on his teammate’s best laptime to finish P2. Behind the DAMS duo, the top ten was completed by Daniel de Jong, Felipe Nasr, Robin Frijns, Simon Trummer, Stefano Coletti, Nathanaël Berthon and Mitch Evans.
After a short one hour lunch break, everyone took advantage of a dry track to do more race simulations and pit stop practices. The session ran smoothly with James Calado taking control of the timesheets towards mid-session, breaking the 1m25s barrier. His laptime of 1:24.659 was enough to have him sit pretty on top until the chequered flag. Behind the Brit, Trummer, Fabio Leimer, Coletti, Richelmi, Ericsson, Palmer, Evans, Julian Leal and Kevin Giovesi completed the top ten. The session was briefly red flagged with ten minutes left on the clock as Evans stopped on the track.
The teams will now make their way to Barcelona and set up camp at Circuit de Catalunya where the second and final pre-season test session will take place next week on March 5th, 6th and 7th.