ART Grand Prix driver quickest in morning test session in Estoril

Dino Zamparelli (ART Grand Prix) set the pace on day one of the first pre-season test in Portugal with a laptime of 1:29.145. Jimmy Eriksson (Koiranen GP) topped the timesheets in a wet afternoon session.

The 2014 GP3 Series got underway at the Circuito Estoril. Eight teams are on track for this two day test in Portugal with newcomers Hilmer Motorsport making their maiden appearance at the Jerez test on April 10-11th.

Carlin’s new recruit Alex Lynn was first to head out onto the track in cool and overcast conditions. Nick Yelloly who has switched to Status Grand Prix for this campaign topped the early timings before Zamparelli claimed P1 in the standings with a 1:30.270. After a few drops of rain had fell early on, the sun decided to join us as the midway point of the morning session whilst the glorious sound of the GP3 cars rung out.

Yelloly retook top spot in the timings for a brief time until Arden International’s Robert Visoiu bettered his lap. The Brit came back for more though and was the first driver to break into the 1m29s barrier. It was a Status Grand Prix 1-2 with Richie Stanaway close in pursuit until the Carlin pairing of Lynn and Emil Bernstorff toppled them.

With two minutes left on the clock, Zamparelli surged to the top of the standings as the chequered flag came out. Lynn, Bernstorff, Yelloly, Stanaway, Roman De Beer, Visoiu, Luis Sa Silva, Melville McKee and Santiago Urrutia completed the top ten.

Following the two hour break, Eriksson and Carmen Jorda were first to feed onto the circuit. The Swede held P1 ahead of Dean Stoneman and Marvin Kirchhofer.  The first red flag off the day occurred when Victor Carbone’s Trident car stopped on track. Around forty-five minutes into the afternoon session, the heavens opened, with the drivers opting to return to their garages. After a quick spell of no activity on track and further rain hammering down, the drivers got to grips with the tricky conditions in the final hour as they contended with the spray.

There was a short red flag period when Sa Silva went off in the gravel in the closing stages but with drivers unable to improve on their laptimes, the top positions remained as per the beginning part of the afternoon session. Eriksson ended the afternoon quickest in front of Stoneman, Kirchhofer, Stanaway, Lynn, Urrutia, Visoiu, Sa Silva, Patrick Kujala and Yelloly.

The schedule for Day 2 of the test sees the test commence at 09.00 – 12.00 with a one hour break. The afternoon session will begin at 13.00 and end at 16.00.

Morning Results


DriverTeamLaptimeLaps
1.Dino ZamparelliART Grand Prix1:29.14535
2.Alex LynnCarlin1:29.40228
3.Emil BernstorffCarlin1:29.57529
4.Nick YellolyStatus Grand Prix1:29.66618
5.Richie StanawayStatus Grand Prix1:29.92229
6.Roman De BeerTrident1:30.02934
7.Robert VisoiuArden International1:30.12620
8.Luis Sa SilvaCarlin1:30.26024
9.Melville McKeeJenzer Motorsport1:30.26727
10.Santiago UrrutiaKoiranen GP1:30.29523
11.Nelson MasonTrident1:30.33928
12.Ryan CullenMarussia Manor Racing1:30.35633
13.Jimmy ErikssonKoiranen GP1:30.42417
14.Alex FontanaART Grand Prix1:30.81514
15.Jann MardenboroughArden International1:30.90718
16.Patric NiederhauserArden International1:31.17413
17.Marvin KirchhoferART Grand Prix1:31.18822
18.Dean StonemanMarussia Manor Racing1:31.35115
19.Alfonso Celis JrStatus Grand Prix1:31.91924
20.Pal VarhaugJenzer Motorsport1:32.39328
21.Victor CarboneTrident1:32.53815
22.Carmen JordaKoiranen GP1:39.30912
23.Adderly FongJenzer Motorsport10:06.9261

Afternoon Results


DriverTeamLaptimeLaps
1.Jimmy ErikssonKoiranen GP1:29.18324
2.Dean StonemanMarussia Manor Racing1:29.78122
3.Marvin KirchhoferART Grand Prix1:30.10525
4.Richie StanawayStatus Grand Prix1:30.20220
5.Alex LynnCarlin1:30.32417
6.Santiago UrrutiaKoiranen GP1:30.32419
7.Robert VisoiuArden International1:30.45421
8.Luis Sa SilvaCarlin1:30.56721
9.Patrick KujalaMarussia Manor Racing1:30.91122
10.Nick YellolyStatus Grand Prix1:30.94818
11.Alfonso Celis JrStatus Grand Prix1:30.98026
12.Adderly FongJenzer Motorsport1:31.24315
13.Emil BernstorffCarlin1:31.25521
14.Patric NiederhauserArden International1:31.92718
15.Ryan CullenMarussia Manor Racing1:32.04521
16.Victor CarboneTrident1:32.90716
17.Pal VarhaugJenzer Motorsport1:32.95616
18.Carmen JordaKoiranen GP1:36.4396
19.Melville McKeeJenzer Motorsport1:38.57410
20.Nelson MasonTrident1:38.91730
21.Jann MardenboroughArden International1:40.15117
22.Roman De BeerTrident1:43.05127
23.Dino ZamparelliART Grand Prix1:48.38814
24.Alex FontanaART Grand Prix2:00.6623

Press Release