Gabby Chaves back on top at Silverstone
With rain forecast for the afternoon session, the teams all hit the track when the lights turned green in the morning to make the most of the dry conditions. However, the session was less than smooth, with a flurry of red flags breaking up the running. RSC Mücke Motorsport’s Michael Christensen was the early pace setter posting a time of 1:51.242, two tenths quicker than yesterday’s fastest man Chaves. He was later bumped off the top spot by teammate Nigel Melker. The MW Arden duo of Simon Trummer and Mitch Evans were also on the pace, as were Atech CRS GP’s Marlon Stockinger and Jenzer’s Nico Müller.
By the mid-way point, it was MW Arden’s turn to lead the pack with British driver Lewis Williamson setting a best time of 1:50.894, followed by Christensen, Müller and Melker. But by the end of the session, it was Chaves who showed his potential for the season. The young 17-year-old American snatched the top spot from Williamson and his time remained unbeaten until the checkered flag dropped. In the dying minutes of the session, raindrops started to fall on the track, and would intensify during the lunch break.
Sure enough, it was a rain affected afternoon for the field. It was again the opportunity for the young bloods to get more mileage on wet weather tires. The tricky track conditions resulted in several red flags. Lotus ART’s Valtteri Bottas and James Calado led the pack for the first half of the session, before Status GP’s Alexander Sims posted a lap time that ensured him the top spot ahead of Chaves, Bottas and Evans.
With twenty minutes remaining, the track was still damp, but times were slowly dropping. Williamson went top and later bettered his time. As the rest of the field prepared for one last assault on track, a final red flag prematurely ended proceedings. At the checkered flag, the MW Arden driver remained the quickest man of the afternoon session ahead of Sims, Carlin’s Tom Dillmann, Chaves and Bottas.
The test will continue tomorrow at 09:00 am local time.
Morning session times:
POS | NO | NAME | NAT | TEAM | TIME | LAPS |
1 | 24 | Gabby CHAVES | USA | Addax Team | 1:50.799 | 34 |
2 | 28 | Lewis WILLIAMSON | GBR | MW Arden | 1:50.894 | 24 |
3 | 30 | Michael CHRISTENSEN | DEN | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 1:50.966 | 31 |
4 | 7 | Nico MULLER | SUI | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:51.059 | 31 |
5 | 31 | Nigel MELKER | NED | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 1:51.082 | 26 |
6 | 4 | Alexander SIMS | GBR | Status Grand Prix | 1:51.085 | 31 |
7 | 27 | Simon TRUMMER | SUI | MW Arden | 1:51.127 | 38 |
8 | 3 | James CALADO | GBR | Lotus ART | 1:51.138 | 39 |
9 | 26 | Mitch EVANS | NZL | MW Arden | 1:51.154 | 25 |
10 | 20 | Marlon STOCKINGER | PHI | Atech CRS GP | 1:51.179 | 34 |
11 | 2 | Valtteri BOTTAS | FIN | Lotus ART | 1:51.189 | 33 |
12 | 18 | Andrea CALDARELLI | ITA | Tech 1 Racing | 1:51.319 | 27 |
13 | 17 | Aaro VAINIO | FIN | Tech 1 Racing | 1:51.348 | 25 |
14 | 19 | Tamas PAL KISS | HUN | Tech 1 Racing | 1:51.387 | 19 |
15 | 5 | Antonio Felix Da COSTA | POR | Status Grand Prix | 1:51.409 | 28 |
16 | 9 | Vittorio GHIRELLI | ITA | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:51.630 | 18 |
17 | 21 | Nick YELLOLY | GBR | Atech CRS GP | 1:51.635 | 19 |
18 | 11 | Rio HARYANTO | INA | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:51.713 | 33 |
19 | 10 | Adrian QUAIFE-HOBBS | GBR | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:51.749 | 19 |
20 | 15 | Tom DILLMANN | FRA | Carlin | 1:51.893 | 34 |
21 | 23 | Thomas HYLKEMA | NED | Addax Team | 1:52.067 | 30 |
22 | 14 | Conor DALY | USA | Carlin | 1:52.111 | 29 |
23 | 1 | Pedro NUNES | BRA | Lotus ART | 1:52.134 | 30 |
24 | 29 | Willi STEINDL | AUT | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 1:52.195 | 36 |
25 | 6 | Ivan LUKASHEVICH | RUS | Status Grand Prix | 1:52.318 | 37 |
26 | 22 | Zoel AMBERG | SUI | Atech CRS GP | 1:52.526 | 32 |
27 | 8 | Maxim ZIMIN | RUS | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:52.542 | 34 |
28 | 12 | Matias LAINE | FIN | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:52.595 | 15 |
29 | 25 | Fernando MONJE | ESP | Addax Team | 1:52.704 | 34 |
30 | 16 | Kotaro SAKURAI | JPN | Carlin | 1:54.141 | 8 |
Afternoon session times:
POS | NO | NAME | NAT | TEAM | TIME | LAPS |
1 | 28 | Lewis WILLIAMSON | GBR | MW Arden | 2:06.902 | 34 |
2 | 4 | Alexander SIMS | GBR | Status Grand Prix | 2:07.708 | 37 |
3 | 15 | Tom DILLMANN | FRA | Carlin | 2:07.719 | 24 |
4 | 24 | Gabby CHAVES | USA | Addax Team | 2:07.782 | 34 |
5 | 2 | Valtteri BOTTAS | FIN | Lotus ART | 2:07.855 | 37 |
6 | 11 | Rio HARYANTO | INA | Marussia Manor Racing | 2:07.864 | 27 |
7 | 26 | Mitch EVANS | NZL | MW Arden | 2:08.073 | 36 |
8 | 30 | Michael CHRISTENSEN | DEN | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 2:08.154 | 22 |
9 | 14 | Conor DALY | USA | Carlin | 2:08.156 | 39 |
10 | 10 | Adrian QUAIFE-HOBBS | GBR | Marussia Manor Racing | 2:08.401 | 26 |
11 | 12 | Matias LAINE | FIN | Marussia Manor Racing | 2:08.593 | 24 |
12 | 20 | Marlon STOCKINGER | PHI | Atech CRS GP | 2:08.608 | 32 |
13 | 21 | Nick YELLOLY | GBR | Atech CRS GP | 2:08.667 | 36 |
14 | 19 | Tamas PAL KISS | HUN | Tech 1 Racing | 2:08.741 | 23 |
15 | 5 | Antonio Felix Da COSTA | POR | Status Grand Prix | 2:08.869 | 36 |
16 | 31 | Nigel MELKER | NED | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 2:09.181 | 31 |
17 | 22 | Zoel AMBERG | SUI | Atech CRS GP | 2:09.252 | 35 |
18 | 27 | Simon TRUMMER | SUI | MW Arden | 2:09.258 | 36 |
19 | 17 | Aaro VAINIO | FIN | Tech 1 Racing | 2:09.536 | 17 |
20 | 3 | James CALADO | GBR | Lotus ART | 2:09.737 | 24 |
21 | 6 | Ivan LUKASHEVICH | RUS | Status Grand Prix | 2:09.750 | 36 |
22 | 1 | Pedro NUNES | BRA | Lotus ART | 2:09.823 | 38 |
23 | 8 | Maxim ZIMIN | RUS | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:09.884 | 27 |
24 | 29 | Willi STEINDL | AUT | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 2:09.969 | 41 |
25 | 7 | Nico MULLER | SUI | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:10.294 | 22 |
26 | 25 | Fernando MONJE | ESP | Addax Team | 2:10.351 | 21 |
27 | 18 | Andrea CALDARELLI | ITA | Tech 1 Racing | 2:10.364 | 22 |
28 | 9 | Vittorio GHIRELLI | ITA | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:11.061 | 30 |
29 | 23 | Thomas HYLKEMA | NED | Addax Team | 2:12.279 | 27 |
30 | 16 | Kotaro SAKURAI | JPN | Carlin | 2:12.403 | 16 |