Ellinas quickest at Silverstone pre-season test

Tio Ellinas recorded the fastest time in the afternoon session on day one of the official pre-season test at the Northamptonshire circuit. The Cypriot’s quickest time of 1:46.211 was 3.9 seconds quicker than the previous GP3 record set by Mitch Evans here in 2012 with the first generation car. Carlos Sainz Jnr set the best time in the morning session.

Very chilly temperatures greeted the GP3 paddock for the final two-day pre-season test. The sun may have been shining but with ground temperatures below zero as the test begun, the full grid of 27 drivers set their installation laps and returned to the pits and waited for the winds to die down and for the track to warm up.

Alex Fontana (Jenzer Motorsport) and Nick Cassidy (Marussia Manor Racing) were the first two drivers to set times in the 1m47’s with a hype of activity in the last hour with the majority of drivers braving the big freeze. Ellinas and David Fumanelli (Trident) shot to the head of the timings until Spaniard Sainz Jnr went half a second quicker than the Cypriot to end the morning on top.

At the checkered flag it was Ellinas, Fumanelli, Fontana, Cassidy, Daniil Kvyat (MW Arden), Nick Yelloly (Carlin), Giovanni Venturini (Trident) and the Koiranen GP duo of Aaro Vainio and Kevin Korjus.

Following the two hour lunch break, the session got underway with an early red flag for Regalia who stopped on the circuit whilst teammate Jack Harvey topped the timesheets. Melville McKee (Bamboo Racing) was P1 at the midway point when Luis Sa Silva (Carlin) ran wide at Becketts and kissed the barrier, whilst Fumanelli stopped on circuit which both caused small interruptions to proceedings.

Yelloly rose to P2 as the wind increased making driving conditions difficult. Regalia posted the best time of the day while Adderly Fong (Status Grand Prix) ran wide at Chapel at the latter stages of the day as there was a brief stoppage covered by red flags. With one minute left on the clock, Ellinas went a mere 0.036s faster than the Argentine to claim P1.

The final times saw Ellinas, Regalia, Yelloly, Ellinas, Harvey, McKee, Fumanelli, Robert Visoiu, Fontana, Korjus and Conor Daly, with the top ten drivers covered by a second.

Tomorrow's test session will run from 09.00 – 12.00 a one hour break. The afternoon session will run from 13.00 – 16.00 GMT.

Day 1: Morning Session

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Carlos Sainz Jnr MW Arden 1:46.795 10
2. Tio Ellinas Marussia Manor Racing 1:47.389 10
3. David Fumanelli Trident 1:47.490 11
4. Alex Fontana Jenzer Motorsport 1:47.700 24
5. Nick Cassidy Marussia Manor Racing 1:47.850 13
6. Daniil Kvyat MW Arden 1:47.904 13
7. Nick Yelloly Carlin 1:47.942 14
8. Giovanni Venturini Trident 1:48.047 14
9. Aaro Vainio Koiranen GP 1:48.238 7
10. Kevin Korjus Koiranen GP 1:48.242 15
11. Patrick Kujala Koiranen GP 1:48.370 13
12. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer Motorsport 1:48.493 15
13. Dino Zamparelli Marussia Manor Racing 1:48.545 12
14. Robert Visoiu MW Arden 1:48.796 12
15. Melville McKee Bamboo Racing 1:48.889 13
16. Josh Webster Status Grand Prix 1:49.025 15
17. Adderly Fong Status Grand Prix 1:49.484 15
18. Eric Lichtenstein Carlin 1:49.546 13
19. Felipe Guimaraes Bamboo Racing 1:49.633 12
20. Luis Sa Silva Carlin 1:49.644 16
21. Emanuele Zonzini Trident 1:49.725 15
22. Jimmy Eriksson Status Grand Prix 1:50.566 12
23. Carmen Jorda Bamboo Racing 1:52.684 13
24. Samin Gomez Jenzer Motorsport 1:52.887 10
25. Conor Daly ART Grand Prix 1
26. Jack Harvey ART Grand Prix 1
27. Facu Regalia ART Grand Prix 1

Day 1: Afternoon Session*

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Tio Ellinas Marussia Manor Racing 1:46.211 29
2. Facu Regalia ART Grand Prix 1:46.247 31
3. Nick Yelloly Carlin 1:46.540 37
4. Jack Harvey ART Grand Prix 1:46.664 23
5. Melville McKee Bamboo Racing 1:46.719 20
6. David Fumanelli Trident 1:46.774 24
7. Robert Visoiu MW Arden 1:47.027 32
8. Alex Fontana Jenzer Motorsport 1:47.050 28
9. Kevin Korjus Koiranen GP 1:47.143 18
10. Conor Daly ART Grand Prix 1:47.177 33
11. Daniil Kvyat MW Arden 1:47.345 32
12. Dino Zamparelli Marussia Manor Racing 1:47.391 30
13. Jimmy Eriksson Status Grand Prix 1:47.402 29
14. Josh Webster Status Grand Prix 1:47.474 30
15. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer Motorsport 1:47.698 11
16. Felipe Guimaraes Bamboo Racing 1:47.731 25
17. Emanuele Zonzini Trident 1:47.924 25
18. Adderly Fong Status Grand Prix 1:47.983 18
19. Eric Lichtenstein Carlin 1:48.305 34
20. Patrick Kujala Koiranen GP 1:48.322 24
21. Nick Cassidy Marussia Manor Racing 1:48.755 23
22. Giovanni Venturini Trident 1:48.977 9
23. Aaro Vainio Koiranen GP 1:49.146 11
24. Luis Sa Silva Carlin 1:50.517 15
25. Samin Gomez Jenzer Motorsport 1:50.890 15
26. Carmen Jorda Bamboo Racing 1:51.457 21