Gabby Chaves back on top at Silverstone

Once again it was Addax Team’s rookie Gabby Chaves who was the quickest man on track at Silverstone Circuit, after setting the best time of 1:50.799 on day two of second 2011 official GP3 Series testing.

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