GP3 Hot News

Dillmann tops GP3 practice

Fresh off the back of their pole position in the GP2 Series, Addax Team snatched the top spot with Dillmann in what was a closely fought second and final free practice session at the Valencia Street Circuit. The Frenchman’s time of 1:58.969 was just 0.060 seconds quicker than second place man James Calado for Lotus ART, with the top twenty-one drivers separated by less than a second.

The session got underway once again in hot conditions as the drivers battled it out straight out the pits. MW Arden’s Simon Trummer, Lotus ART’s Valtteri Bottas, Carlin’s Daniel Morad and RSC Mücke Motorsport’s Michael Christensen all took turns at the top of the timesheet, but it was MW Arden’s Mitch Evans who set the early pace and kept hold of the top spot.

As the session entered its second half, Evans was holding firm at the top, and the rest of the field set about trying to beat the New Zealanders’ time. Aaro Vainio made an early charge moving up into second spot, but was soon bumped back down the timesheet by the Lotus ART duo of Bottas and Calado.

As the session drew to a close, Dillmann was up into third behind Evans and Bottas, but it was Calado who was the first to find enough time to snatch the top spot from the Kiwi driver, only to be promptly knocked off by teammate Bottas. The times were improving throughout the field, but it was Dillmann who took the honors. The Frenchman finished ahead of Calado, Bottas, Smith, Evans, Vainio, Ivan Lukashevich who finished in his best position so far this season for Status GP, Morad, Lewis Williamson and Nico Muller.

GP3 Series will be back on track tomorrow for qualifying at 12:25 local time.

Full practice 2 times:

POS NO DRIVER NAT ENTRANT TIME LAPS GAP
1 23 T. DILLMANN FRA Addax Team 1:58.969 14 0.000s
2 3 J. CALADO GBR Lotus ART 1:59.029 13 0.060
3 2 V. BOTTAS FIN Lotus ART 1:59.050 12 0.081
4 25 D. SMITH GBR Addax Team 1:59.151 14 0.182
5 26 M. EVANS NZL MW Arden 1:59.202 13 0.233
6 17 A. VAINIO FIN Tech 1 Racing 1:59.242 14 0.273
7 6 I. LUKASHEVICH RUS Status Grand Prix 1:59.287 13 0.318
8 15 D. MORAD CAN Carlin 1:59.345 13 0.376
9 28 L. WILLIAMSON GBR MW Arden 1:59.407 14 0.438
10 7 N. MULLER SUI Jenzer Motorsport 1:59.441 14 0.472
11 10 A. QUAIFE-HOBBS GBR Marussia Manor Racing 1:59.503 13 0.534
12 30 M. CHRISTENSEN DEN RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:59.550 12 0.581
13 4 A. SIMS GBR Status Grand Prix 1:59.614 13 0.645
14 27 S. TRUMMER SUI MW Arden 1:59.615 13 0.646
15 24 G. CHAVES COL Addax Team 1:59.640 13 0.671
16 12 M. LAINE FIN Marussia Manor Racing 1:59.699 14 0.730
17 1 P. NUNES BRA Lotus ART 1:59.751 13 0.782
18 5 A. FELIX DA COSTA POR Status Grand Prix 1:59.757 13 0.788
19 16 L. CORDEIRO BRA Carlin 1:59.868 14 0.899
20 31 N. MELKER NED RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:59.914 14 0.945
21 19 T. PAL KISS HUN Tech 1 Racing 1:59.954 14 0.985
22 14 C. DALY USA Carlin 1:59.973 14 1.004
23 20 M. STOCKINGER PHI Atech CRS GP 1:59.974 13 1.005
24 11 R. HARYANTO INA Marussia Manor Racing 2:00.060 14 1.091
25 22 Z. AMBERG SUI Atech CRS GP 2:00.177 14 1.208
26 9 V. GHIRELLI ITA Jenzer Motorsport 2:00.339 14 1.370
27 29 L. BACHETA GBR RSC Mucke Motorsport 2:00.381 13 1.412
28 8 M. ZIMIN RUS Jenzer Motorsport 2:00.383 13 1.414
29 21 N. YELLOLY GBR Atech CRS GP 2:00.618 14 1.649
30 18 T. HYLKEMA NED Tech 1 Racing 2:00.827 13 1.858