GP3 Winter Test (Jerez, Oct 21st)

Nico Muller ran well today for Jenzer Motorsport. © Drew Gibson/GP3 Media Service

With the Jerez circuit being treated to another unseasonably warm day, the GP3 Series once again sent thirty young hopefuls out for winter testing.

Today, Simon Trummer (MW Arden) and Nico Muller (Jenzer Motorsports) came up trumps as they topped the morning and afternoon runs respectively. With the pace much more apparent in the morning, Trummer’s 1.34.496 was enough to lead the times ahead of Nigel Melker (RSC Mücke Motorsport) and Muller as the clock ran out, but it was Muller that replied in the afternoon; a 1.35.858 sufficient to beat MW Arden’s Michael Christensen.
It was a timely lap by Muller – at that point Christensen was up top and on the way to giving MW Arden their fourth top spot in a row, but for now the Mark Webber / Christian Horner run team will have to wait.

Yesterday’s fastest runner, Antonio Felix da Costa, was unable to repeat that feat today as he switched from MW Arden to Tech 1 Racing. In fact, the Portuguese driver found himself mired well in the pack – he ended up 22nd in the morning session (1.299 seconds down on Trummer) and 17th in the afternoon (1.097 slower than Muller).
2010 Formula BMW runner, Carlos Sainz Jr. joined the paddock this morning for the first time. Sainz Jr. (son of the WRC legend) took up a seat with Addax CRS GP and while he managed 13th in his introductory session, the young Spaniard was unable to repeat that in the afternoon.

Fast times are one thing; however it will be interesting to see if any of these drivers can produce these times on a consistent basis. This second winter test concludes tomorrow.

Day Two (Thursday, October 21st)
Morning Session

DRIVER TEAM LAPS TIME GAP
1 21   Simon TRUMMER MW ARDEN 35 1:34.496 —-
2 10   Nigel MELKER RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 31 1:34.646 0,000
3 25   Nico MULLER JENZER MOTORSPORT 34 1:34.853 0.357
4 22   Michael CHRISTENSEN MW ARDEN 35 1:35.082 0.586
5 1   James CALADO ART GRAND PRIX 40 1:35.280 0.784
6 27   Doru SECHELARIU TECH 1 RACING 18 1:35.303 0.807
7 29   Nick YELLOLY ATECH CRS GP 25 1:35.349 0.853
8 28   Alexander SIMS TECH 1 RACING 42 1:35.358 0.862
9 7   Adrien TAMBAY MANOR RACING 29 1:35.362 0.866
10 24   Zoel AMBERG JENZER MOTORSPORT 30 1:35.406 0,910
11 2   Matias LAINE ART GRAND PRIX 35 1:35.413 0.917
12 12   Willi STEINDL RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 40 1:35.425 0.929
13 17   Carlos SAINZ Jr ADDAX TEAM 28 1:35.529 1.033
14 9   Thomas HYLKEMA MANOR RACING 37 1:35.628 1.132
15 14   Callum MACLEOD CARLIN 37 1:35.656 1,160
16 3   Pedro NUNES ART GRAND PRIX 37 1:35.708 1.212
17 6   Conor DALY STATUS GRAND PRIX 39 1:35.728 1.232
18 8   Rio HARYANTO MANOR RACING 35 1:35.729 1.233
19 30   Roberto MERHI ATECH CRS GP 12 1:35.733 1.237
20 23   Marlon STOCKINGER JENZER MOTORSPORT 44 1:35.741 1.245
21 20   Arthur PIC MW ARDEN 44 1:35.790 1.294
22 26   Antonio F. DA COSTA TECH 1 RACING 44 1:35.795 1.299
23 11   Carlos MUÑOZ RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 41 1:35.806 1,310
24 19   Facu REGALIA ADDAX TEAM 26 1:35.836 1,340
25 18   Vittorio GHIRELLI ADDAX TEAM 44 1:35.963 1.467
26 5   Leonardo CORDEIRO STATUS GRAND PRIX 50 1:36.087 1.591
27 31   Tamas P’AL KISS ATECH CRS GP 35 1:36.164 1.668
28 4   Oli WEBB STATUS GRAND PRIX 38 1:36.257 1.761
29 16   Juan C. SISTOS CARLIN 45 1:36.356 1,860
30 15   Josef NEWGARDEN CARLIN 52 1:36.429 1.933

Afternoon Session


DRIVER TEAM LAPS TIMES GAP
1 25   Nico MULLER JENZER MOTORSPORT 36 1:35.858 —-
2 22   Michael CHRISTENSEN MW ARDEN 51 1:36.051 0.193
3 10   Nigel MELKER RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 34 1:36.293 0.435
4 21   Simon TRUMMER MW ARDEN 40 1:36.462 0.604
5 28   Alexander SIMS TECH 1 RACING 55 1:36.465 0.607
6 20   Arthur PIC MW ARDEN 30 1:36.529 0.671
7 23   Marlon STOCKINGER JENZER MOTORSPORT 40 1:36.547 0.689
8 1   James CALADO ART GRAND PRIX 43 1:36.639 0.781
9 12   Willi STEINDL RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 35 1:36.751 0.893
10 14   Callum MACLEOD CARLIN 38 1:36.753 0.895
11 30   Roberto MERHI ATECH CRS GP 43 1:36.754 0.896
12 2   Matias LAINE ART GRAND PRIX 40 1:36.859 1.001
13 15   Josef NEWGARDEN CARLIN 49 1:36.861 1.003
14 19   Facu REGALIA ADDAX TEAM 33 1:36.881 1.023
15 8   Rio HARYANTO MANOR RACING 42 1:36.919 1.061
16 7   Adrien TAMBAY MANOR RACING 45 1:36.936 1.078
17 26   Antonio F. DA COSTA TECH 1 RACING 34 1:36.955 1.097
18 29   Nick YELLOLY ATECH CRS GP 36 1:36.965 1.107
19 31   Tamas P’AL KISS ATECH CRS GP 28 1:36.995 1.137
20 24   Zoel AMBERG JENZER MOTORSPORT 41 1:37.050 1.192
21 27   Doru SECHELARIU TECH 1 RACING 22 1:37.082 1.224
22 3   Pedro NUNES ART GRAND PRIX 38 1:37.098 1,240
23 6   Conor DALY STATUS GRAND PRIX 34 1:37.175 1.317
24 4   Oli WEBB STATUS GRAND PRIX 30 1:37.181 1.323
25 9   Thomas HYLKEMA MANOR RACING 42 1:37.321 1.463
26 17   Carlos SAINZ Jr ADDAX TEAM 15 1:37.654 1.796
27 18   Vittorio GHIRELLI ADDAX TEAM 52 1:37.782 1.924
28 16   Juan C. SISTOS CARLIN 43 1:37.816 1.958
29 5   Leonardo CORDEIRO STATUS GRAND PRIX 40 1:37.905 2.047
30 11   Carlos MUÑOZ RSC MÜCKE MOTORSPORT 15 1:38.136 2.278

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