In the first in-season test session of 2011, Lewis Williamson topped the time sheets in his MW Arden machine, but teammate Mitch Evans gave him a run for his money too.
Indeed, it was Evans that was quickest in the morning session (a best of 1:38.508) after Michael Christensen set the early pace in cool, but dry conditions.
Evans ran a busy morning, completing 25 laps, to Christensen’s 20; however neither came close to matching Alexander Sims’ schedule – the Status Grand Prix driver completed 33 tours of the Hungaroring on his way to 17th place, less than one second off of Evans’ pace.
Before the lunch break, Nico Muller (Jenzer Motorsport) found 3rd position on the timing boards; just two-tenths ahead of the Lotus ART pair, Valtteri Bottas (4th) and James Calado (5th).
Next up Antonio Felix da Costa continued to show his quick hand with a best of 1:39.111 from 32 laps.
The Portuguese pilot bettered Tamas Pa’l Kiss (7th, Tech 1 Racing), Gabby Chaves (8th, Addax), Lewis Williamson (9th) and Aaro Vainio (10th, Tech 1 Racing).
While the afternoon stayed cool and dry, rain threatened the Hungaroring, but the lingering grey clouds were not enough stop Lewis Williamson.
The Englishman set the best of the day with a lap at 1:33.330 from a 33-lap afternoon – only one-tenth quicker than Alexander Sims (2nd) and Manor Racing’s Adrian Quaife-Hobbs (3rd).
James Calado shared the honour of most distance covered – both he and Simon Trummer (MW Arden) clocked up 37 laps of the tight and technical Hungaroring circuit; however where Calado finished the day 4th, Trummer had to make do with 13th, some eight-tenths down on Williamson.
Tom Dillmann returned to the GP3 paddock – this time with Addax – after missing the second round in Barcelona, nailing 5th in the session. For now, this is a one-off outing for the Frenchman as he battles to secure a budget to run the rest of the season.
Like the morning, Antonio Felix de Costa set the 6th quickest time, with the RSC Mücke Motorsport pair of Michael Christensen (7th) and Nigel Melker (8th) less than one-tenth shy.
Valtteri Bottas (9th) and Aaro Vainio (10th) filled out the top ten respectively.
Thomas Hylkema took over Andrea Caldarelli’s seat at Tech 1 Racing, following the Italian driver’s departure to Japan’s Formula Nippon Championship. The Dutchman took some time to get up to speed, finishing the day with a best of 1:40.180 after completing 58 laps.
Morning Times Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Mitch Evans MW Arden 1:38.508 25 2. Michael Christensen RSC Mücke Motorsport 1:38.823 + 0.315 20 3. Nico Müller Jenzer Motorsport 1:38.879 + 0.371 17 4. Valtteri Bottas Lotus ART 1:39.036 + 0.528 26 5. James Calado Lotus ART 1:39.108 + 0.600 21 6. Antonio Felix Da Costa Status Grand Prix 1:39.111 + 0.603 32 7. Tamas Pal Kiss Tech 1 Racing 1:39.140 + 0.632 24 8. Gabby Chaves Addax Team 1:39.166 + 0.658 23 9. Lewis Williamson MW Arden 1:39.244 + 0.736 21 10. Aaro Vainio Tech 1 Racing 1:39.257 + 0.749 23 11. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Marussia Manor Racing 1:39.289 + 0.781 16 12. Luciano Bacheta RSC Mücke Motorsport 1:39.296 + 0.788 25 13. Tom Dillmann Addax Team 1:39.357 + 0.849 28 14. Nigel Melker RSC Mücke Motorsport 1:39.373 + 0.865 14 15. Daniel Morad Carlin 1:39.418 + 0.910 26 16. Simon Trummer Jenzer Motorsport 1:39.466 + 0.958 24 17. Alexander Sims Status Grand Prix 1:39.498 + 0.990 33 18. Pedro Nunes Lotus ART 1:39.589 + 1.081 23 19. Ivan Lukashevich Status Grand Prix 1:39.590 + 1.082 29 20. Zoel Amberg Atech CRS GP 1:39.720 + 1.212 24 21. Marlon Stockinger Atech CRS GP 1:39.762 + 1.254 18 22. Conor Daly Carlin 1:39.859 + 1.351 31 23. Vittorio Ghirelli Jenzer Motorsport 1:39.869 + 1.361 22 24. Rio Haryanto Marussia Manor Racing 1:39.888 + 1.380 24 25. Nick Yelloly Atech CRS GP 1:39.953 + 1.445 14 26. Leonardo Cordeiro Carlin 1:40.651 + 2.143 31 27. Fernando Monje Addax Team 1:41.125 + 2.617 25 28. Maxim Zimin Jenzer Motorsport 1:41.148 + 2.640 16 29. Matias Laine Marussia Manor Racing 1:41.169 + 2.661 18 30. Thomas Hylkema Tech 1 Racing 1:41.389 + 2.881 29 Afternoon times Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Lewis Williamson MW Arden 1:38.330 33 2. Alexander Sims Status Grand Prix 1:38.462 + 0.132 27 3. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Marussia Manor Racing 1:38.487 + 0.157 21 4. James Calado Lotus ART 1:38.626 + 0.296 37 5. Tom Dillmann Addax Team 1:38.660 + 0.330 20 6. Antonio Felix Da Costa Status Grand Prix 1:38.747 + 0.417 26 7. Michael Christensen RSC Mücke Motorsport 1:38.777 + 0.447 26 8. Nigel Melker RSC Mücke Motorsport 1:38.847 + 0.517 25 9. Valtteri Bottas Lotus ART 1:38.854 + 0.524 36 10. Aaro Vainio Tech 1 Racing 1:38.860 + 0.530 23 11. Nico Muller Jenzer Motorsport 1:38.936 + 0.606 35 12. Gabby Chaves Addax Team 1:39.050 + 0.720 21 13. Simon Trummer MW Arden 1:39.137 + 0.807 37 14. Tamas Pal Kiss Tech 1 Racing 1:39.189 + 0.859 18 15. Conor Daly Carlin 1:39.220 + 0.890 32 16. Leonardo Cordeiro Carlin 1:39.244 + 0.914 26 17. Nick Yelloly Atech CRS GP 1:39.315 + 0.985 18 18. Luciano Bacheta RSC Mücke Motorsport 1:39.323 + 0.993 32 19. Zoel Amberg Atech CRS GP 1:39.514 + 1.184 34 20. Daniel Morad Carlin 1:39.592 + 1.262 20 21. Marlon Stockinger Atech CRS GP 1:39.636 + 1.306 21 22. Vittorio Ghirelli Jenzer Motorsport 1:39.673 + 1.343 34 23. Matias Laine Marussia Manor Racing 1:39.820 + 1.490 26 24. Rio Haryanto Marussia Manor Racing 1:39.867 + 1.537 22 25. Ivan Lukashevich Status Grand Prix 1:39.979 + 1.649 31 26. Pedro Nunes Lotus ART 1:40.067 + 1.737 14 27. Fernando Monje Addax Team 1:40.093 + 1.763 19 28. Thomas Hylkema Tech 1 Racing 1:40.180 + 1.850 29 29. Mitch Evans MW Arden 1:40.248 + 1.918 26 30. Maxim Zimin Jenzer Motorsport 1:40.532 + 2.202 36
