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Russell fastest on Day 3 of Yas Marina Test

2016 GP3 Series Test 5. Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Wednesday 30 November 2016. George Russell (GBR, ART Grand Prix) Photo: Zak Mauger/GP3 Series Media Service. ref: Digital Image _L0U2792

George Russell (ART GP) posted the fastest time on Day 3 of testing. The Briton’s best laptime of 1:55.364 which was set in the morning was six tenths quicker than Trident’s Santino Ferrucci and Jenzer Motorsport’s Alessio Lorandi. It was also the fastest lap of the three day test session. The ART driver also headed the timesheet in the afternoon ahead of Lorandi and Arden International’s Leonardo Pulcini.

There were two familiar faces added to the day three line-up: 2016 GP3 drivers Alex Palou and Matt Parry both testing for Campos Racing.

ART GP tester Arjun Maini headed the times early on for the third and final day of post-season testing at the Yas Marina Circuit. Fellow ART GP tester Anthoine Hubert was first to lap in the 1m57’s, before Russell set a time of 1:56.965.

There was an early red flag when Steijn Schothorst stopped at Turn 19. Trident’s Raoul Hyman went P1 before a length red flag period for Hubert who made contact with the barrier at Turn 7. There was damage to the TecPro barriers so the session was delayed while they were repaired. The session was over for Hubert as the monocoque was damaged from the incident.

Arden International’s Pulcini then set the pace with a 1:56.170 before Russell became the first driver to dip into the 1m55’s. Arden’s Max Defourny and Lorandi moved up to second and third respectively in the final 30 minutes. Ferrucci shot to P2 near the close of the session.

Russell remained on top at the chequered flag; behind him were Ferrucci, Lorandi, Max Defourny, Leonardo Pulcini, Jack Aitken, Maini, Schothorst, Kevin Joerg and Marcos Siebert.

The afternoon session got underway after GP2 Series had their turn on track. Arden’s Pulcini topped the timesheet with a 1:56.363 ahead of Ferrucci and Palou. With less than one hour remaining, Russell shot to P1 with a 1:56.307. There was a brief flag due to debris on track in two different locations. Once the debris cleared, the action resumed, but only shortly as Joerg stopped on track at Turn 20.

ART’s Maini moved up to second in the final stages, until Pulcini displaced the Indian driver to P3. But nobody could better the time set by Russell as he stayed in P1 until the chequered flag. However, there was one final switch in positions when Lorandi bettered his fellow compatriot Pulcini for second position. Behind the top three were Maini, Ferrucci, Giuliano Alesi, Aitken, Robert Shwartzman, Palou and Bruno Baptista.

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Day Three – morning session

  Driver Team Laptime Laps
1. George Russell ART Grand Prix 1:55.364 26
2. Santino Ferrucci Trident 1:55.907   25
3. Alessio Lorandi Jenzer Motorsport 1:56.023 28
4. Max Defourny Arden International 1:56.028 32
5. Leonardo Pulcini Arden International 1:56.034 32
6. Jack Aitken DAMS 1:56.127 28
7. Arjun Maini ART Grand Prix 1:56.203 25
8. Steijn Schothorst Jenzer Motorsport 1:56.319 25
9. Kevin Joerg Arden International 1:56.364 28
10. Marcos Siebert Trident 1:56.513 21
11. Giuliano Alesi Trident 1:56.642 25
12. Robert Shwartzman Koiranen GP 1:56.645 24
13. Matheus Leist ART Grand Prix 1:56.768 28
14. Patricio O’Ward Koiranen GP 1:56.797 23
15. Alex Palou Campos Racing 1:56.862 21
16. Anthoine Hubert ART Grand Prix 1:56.913 12
17. Matthew Parry Campos Racing 1:56.915 27
18. Bruno Baptista DAMS 1:56.984 27
19. Tatiana Calderon Jenzer Motorsport 1:56.992 26
20. Tarun Reddy Koiranen GP 1:57.007 18
21. Dorian Boccolacci DAMS 1:57.043 27
22. Julian Falchero Campos Racing 1:57.370 30

*Raoul Hyman disqualified as his #5 car was found underweight.

 Afternoon Session

  Driver Team Laptime Laps
1. George Russell ART Grand Prix 1:55.759 37
2. Alessio Lorandi Jenzer Motorsport 1:56.128   28
3. Leonardo Pulcini Arden International 1:56.245 30
4. Arjun Maini ART Grand Prix 1:56.336 35
5. Santino Ferrucci Trident 1:56.359 28
6. Giuliano Alesi Trident 1:56.401 13
7. Jack Aitken DAMS 1:56.416 33
8. Robert Shwartzman Koiranen GP 1:56.434 32
9. Alex Palou Campos Racing 1:56.491 34
10. Bruno Baptista DAMS 1:56.529 34
11. Matthew Parry Campos Racing 1:56.558 21
12. Max Defourny Arden International 1:56.564 27
13. Matheus Leist ART Grand Prix 1:56.612 33
14. Raoul Hyman Trident 1:56.643 26
15. Steijn Schothorst Jenzer Motorsport 1:56.705 28
16. Tarun Reddy Koiranen GP 1:56.812 28
17. Patricio O’Ward Koiranen GP 1:56.916 28
18. Marcos Siebert Trident 1:57.008 26
19. Julian Falchero Campos Racing 1:57.019 31
20. Dorian Boccolacci DAMS 1:57.037 35
21. Kevin Joerg Arden International 1:57.054 17
22. Tatiana Calderon Jenzer Motorsport 1:57.080 27

GP3 Press Release