GP2 Post-Season Test Day One (Oct 19th, Barcelona)

Circuit de Catalunya. © Creative Commons / Will Pittenger

iSport racer Marcus Ericsson made his intentions for the 2012 GP2 title clear after topping day one of the post-season test in Barcelona.

The Swede topped twenty-six runners over the course of the day, although Ericsson was helped somewhat by generally slower afternoon showing.

The pack ran a set of 2012 Pirelli hard compound tyres throughout the day, although it was Ericsson’s iSport teammate, Tom Dillmann, who set the early pace.

From his thirty-four laps, Ericsson’s best of 1:29.705 was enough to give the Swede a one-tenth advantage over GP2 veteran Dani Clos (Scuderia Coloni), with Sauber F1-reserve pilot Esteban Gutierrez (Lotus-ART) a further tenth behind in 3rd.
Both Clos and Gutierrez led the standings at different periods of the test, progressively bedding their tyres with each tour of the Catalunya circuit.

Kevin Ceccon (Scuderia Coloni) and Nigel Melker (Ocean Racing Technology) set identical times (1:29.978) come the chequered flag to secure 4th and 5th respectively.
Melker’s quick lap made him the fastest rookie of the entire day. Dillmann, meanwhile, eventually finished up 6th, three-tenths adrift of the top spot.

GP3 graduate Dillmann would later be the quickest in the afternoon session. The Frenchman kicked Antonio Felix da Costa off the top with thirty minutes remaining.
In the cooler conditions of the approaching evening, da Costa would fall to 6th, jumped by Gutierrez (2nd), Melker (3rd), Alexander Rossi (4th, Caterham Team AirAsia) and Ceccon (5th).

Red flags interrupted the session late on as Rio Haryanto beached his DAMS machine into the gravel.

Combined times:
Pos Driver Team Time Laps
 1.  Marcus Ericsson           iSport International       1:29.705    54
 2.  Dani Clos                 Scuderia Coloni            1:29.810    52
 3.  Esteban Gutierrez         Lotus ART                  1:29.911    47
 4.  Kevin Ceccon              Scuderia Coloni            1:29.978    56
 5.  Nigel Melker              Ocean Racing Technology    1:29.978    48
 6.  Tom Dillmann              iSport International       1:30.025    61
 7.  Julian Leal               Barwa Addax Team           1:30.084    48
 8.  Alexander Rossi           Caterham Team AirAsia      1:30.140    49
 9.  Kevin Magnussen           Carlin                     1:30.158    42
10.  Jolyon Palmer             Barwa Addax Team           1:30.299    60
11.  Max Chilton               Carlin                     1:30.399    44
12.  Fabio Leimer              Racing Engineering         1:30.416    50
13.  Roberto Merhi             Arden International        1:30.446    51
14.  Josef Kral                Trident Racing             1:30.453    45
15.  Brendon Hartley           Ocean Racing Technology    1:30.526    46
16.  Rio Haryanto              Dams                       1:30.536    53
17.  Antonio Felix Da Costa    Lotus ART                  1:30.798    53
18.  Stefano Coletti           Dams                       1:30.880    52
19.  Stéphane Richelmi         Trident Racing             1:30.993    63
20.  Craig Dolby               Arden International        1:31.042    43
21.  Adrian Quaife-Hobbs       Super Nova Racing          1:31.137    51
22.  Luiz Razia                Caterham Team AirAsia      1:31.176    50
23.  Pal Varhaug               Rapax                      1:31.197    63
24.  Fabio Onidi               Rapax                      1:31.257    40
25.  Nathanaël Berthon         Racing Engineering         1:31.259    45
26.  Jake Rosenzweig           Scuderia Coloni            1:31.342    55

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