Muller sets GP3 pace in Italy

Nico Muller

The eighth and final round of the 2011 GP3 Series kicked off this morning with the first of two Friday practice sessions at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, with Nico Muller topping the times sheets. The early morning session took place under clear blue skies and rising temperatures, and Muller claimed the top spot with a time of 1:43. 961 ahead of Marussia Manor Racing’s Adrian Quaife-Hobbs.

The field hit the track with Pirelli P Zero hard compound tires, and it was MW Arden’s Simon Trummer who led the way early on, along with title contender Nigel Melker for RSC Mücke Motorsport. As the drivers got to grips with the high-speed full throttle track the times swiftly dropped, and by midway through the session Quaife-Hobbs was top with Trummer bumped to second. Alexander Sims showed early pace in third for Status Grand Prix.

With the session entering the final stages the Lotus ART duo of Valtteri Bottas and James Calado popped up into the top ten, but couldn’t match the speed of the front runners. Müller however set his quickest time of the session which would go unmatched: the Swiss driver topped his first session since winning at Silverstone Circuit earlier this season. Quaife-Hobbs was second, closely followed by Series leader Bottas and his teammate Calado. Vainio finished fifth for Tech 1 Racing and Lewis Williamson, Marlon Stockinger, Mitch Evans, Tom Dillmann and Michael Christensen rounded out the top ten.

Next up for GP3 is practice 2 later today at 16:50 local time.

Practice 1 times:

POS NO DRIVER NAT TEAM TIME LAPS GAP
1 7 N. MULLER SUI Jenzer Motorsport 1:43.961 14 0.000
2 10 A. QUAIFE-HOBBS GBR Marussia Manor Racing 1:44.127 15 0.166
3 2 V. BOTTAS FIN Lotus ART 1:44.341 13 0.380
4 3 J. CALADO GBR Lotus ART 1:44.421 13 0.460
5 17 A. VAINIO FIN Tech 1 Racing 1:44.424 13 0.463
6 28 L. WILLIAMSON GBR MW Arden 1:44.518 15 0.557
7 20 M. STOCKINGER PHI Atech CRS GP 1:44.568 14 0.607
8 26 M. EVANS NZL MW Arden 1:44.634 15 0.673
9 23 T. DILLMANN FRA Addax Team 1:44.714 14 0.753
10 30 M. CHRISTENSEN DEN RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:44.715 14 0.754
11 5 A. FELIX DA COSTA POR Status Grand Prix 1:44.742 15 0.781
12 27 S. TRUMMER SUI MW Arden 1:44.778 15 0.817
13 1 R. STANAWAY NZL Lotus ART 1:44.930 13 0.969
14 24 G. CHAVES COL Addax Team 1:44.963 14 1.002
15 14 C. DALY USA Carlin 1:44.999 14 1.038
16 4 A. SIMS GBR Status Grand Prix 1:45.020 14 1.059
17 11 R. HARYANTO INA Marussia Manor Racing 1:45.100 15 1.139
18 31 N. MELKER NED RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:45.185 14 1.224
19 6 I. LUKASHEVICH RUS Status Grand Prix 1:45.238 13 1.277
20 18 T. HYLKEMA NED Tech 1 Racing 1:45.274 14 1.313
21 15 C. MACLEOD GBR Carlin 1:45.275 14 1.314
22 8 M. ZIMIN RUS Jenzer Motorsport 1:45.400 14 1.439
23 12 M. LAINE FIN Marussia Manor Racing 1:45.429 14 1.468
24 19 T. PAL KISS HUN Tech 1 Racing 1:45.570 9 1.609
25 22 Z. AMBERG SUI Atech CRS GP 1:45.600 15 1.639
26 25 V. GHIRELLI ITA Addax Team 1:45.730 14 1.769
27 21 N. YELLOLY GBR Atech CRS GP 1:45.864 15 1.903
28 16 L. CORDEIRO BRA Carlin 1:46.126 14 2.165
29 29 D. MANCINELLI ITA RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:47.390 4 3.429
30 9 C. HURNI SUI Jenzer Motorsport 1:47.398 15 3.437