Müller tops timesheets on day one of testing in Estoril

GP3 Series testing for 2012 opened under beautiful warm sunshine and clear blue skies at the Circuito do Estoril in Portugal today. Nico Müller for Trident Racing came out on top by posting the fast time of both sessions in a fiercely competitive day one of testing in Portugal. The experienced GP3 driver who has yet to sign with a team for 2012, captured the top spot in the standings within the final fifteen minutes of the afternoon session, after it looked likely Mitch Evans would head the pack after the first day. Müller ended the session with the smallest of advantages over the New Zealander, just 0.014s.

Niko Müller Credit: Trident Racing

It was Evans for MW Arden who commanded the morning session by nearly half a second over Finnish driver Aaro Vainio. The young sophomore only ran 7 laps to complete the quickest time over his rivals. It was a successful morning for MW Arden with Matias Laine also in fourth. Marussia Manor Racing's driver Tio Ellinas continued his good form from the winter testing in 2011 and was an impressive third fastest.

Returnee GP3 drivers Tamas Pal Kiss, Alexander Sims and Marlon Stockinger held the next positions on the timesheets with fifth, sixth and seventh. Swiss driver and newcomer Mateo Tuscher, at just 15 years old, posted the eighth fastest time for Jenzer Motorsport. Müller finished P9.

The morning session was briefly red flagged when Machado made a visit to the gravel bed after going wide. The Brazilian unfortunately stalled the car but managed to claim the tenth fastest time overall.

First control in the afternoon session went to Lotus GP, whose drivers held the top three positions for the first half of the session. The trio of Vainio, Conor Daly and Daniel Abt were then split by the fast charging Portuguese star Antonio Felix da Costa who rose to the top of the standings in the last hour. That was until the Evans regained control in the latter stages, edging out Da Costa by the smallest of margins.

Müller jumped up the standings in the final fifteen minutes to grab the quickest time of the day, ahead of the Evans, Da Costa, Vainio, Daly and Laine. Cyrpiot driver Ellinas again matched his morning's form by securing the seventh fastest time ahead of the Hungarian and former GP3 race winner Pal Kiss. David Fumanelli made it three Arden cars in the top ten, showing a very competitive performance. Tuscher on his debut was again inside the top ten with the eighth fastest time.

The afternoon session was red flagged following an incident involving William Buller for Carlin who spun into the gravel after posting the fourth quickest time.

The test will resume tomorrow at 09.00 for the second and final day of testing in Portugal. There will only be a one hour break from lunch between 12.00 and 13.00 with proceedings drawing to a close at 16.00.

Morning session

    Driver                  Team                   Lap Time Laps 
    
1.  Mitch Evans             MW Arden               1'31.371   7 
2.  Aaro Vainio             Lotus GP               1'31.820  12 
3.  Tio Ellinas             Marussia Manor Racing  1'32.194  15 
4.  Matias Laine            MW Arden               1'32.218   9 
5.  Tamás Pál Kiss          Atech CRS GP           1'32.225   7 
6.  Alexander Sims          Status Grand Prix      1'32.308  26 
7.  Marlon Stockinger       Status Grand Prix      1'32.350  11 
8.  MathéoTuscher           Jenzer Motorsport      1'32.397  25 
9.  Nico Müller             Trident Racing         1'32.405  26 
10. Fabiano Machado         Marussia Manor Racing  1'32.489  35 
11. Antonio Felix Da Costa  Carlin                 1'32.574  15 
12. Conor Daly              Lotus GP               1'32.741  14 
13. Miki Weckstrom          Status Grand Prix      1'32.837   9 
14. Daniel Abt              Lotus GP               1'32.845  14 
15. David Fumanelli         MW Arden               1'32.892   9 
16. Patric Niederhauser     Jenzer Motorsport      1'32.977  28 
17. William Buller          Carlin                 1'32.997  16 
18. Alex Brundle            Carlin                 1'33.007  10 
19. Robert Visoiu           Jenzer Motorsport      1'33.246  21 
20. Dmitry Suranovich       Marussia Manor Racing  1'33.912  16 
21. Antonio Spavone         Trident Racing         1'34.112  23 
22. Ethan Ringel            Atech CRS GP           1'34.377  21 
23. Vicky Piria             Trident Racing         1'34.456  11 
24. Robert Cregan           Tech 1 Racing          1'35.212  15 
25. Yuki Shiraishi          Tech 1 Racing          1'36.614   8 



 
Afternoon Session

    Driver                  Team                   Lap Time Laps 
    
1.  Nico Müller             Trident Racing         1'31.285  26 
2.  Mitch Evans             MW Arden               1'31.300  16 
3.  Antonio Felix Da Costa  Carlin                 1'31.361  27 
4.  Aaro Vainio             Lotus GP               1'31.461  28 
5.  Conor Daly              Lotus GP               1'31.487  34 
6.  Matias Laine            MW Arden               1'31.498  22 
7.  Tio Ellinas             Marussia Manor Racing  1'31.640  30 
8.  Tamás Pál Kiss          Atech CRS GP           1'31.713  14 
9.  David Fumanelli         MW Arden               1'31.745  33 
10. Mathéo Tuscher          Jenzer Motorsport      1'31.867  29 
11. Alexander Sims          Status Grand Prix      1'31.941  32 
12. Robert Visoiu           Jenzer Motorsport      1'32.043  30 
13. Daniel Abt              Lotus GP               1'32.089  28 
14. Fabiano Machado         Marussia Manor Racing  1'32.203  39 
15. Marlon Stockinger       Status Grand Prix      1'32.240  24 
16. Micki Weckstrom         Status Grand Prix      1'32.252  26 
17. William Buller          Carlin                 1'32.677  26 
18. Dmitry Suranovich       Marussia Manor Racing  1'32.831  33 
19. Antonio Spavone         Trident Racing         1'32.849  30 
20. Alex Brundle            Carlin                 1'32.993  30 
21. Vicky Piria             Trident Racing         1'33.383  25 
22. Ethan Ringel            Atech CRS GP           1'33.535  29 
23. Robert Cregan           Tech 1 Racing          1'33.911  28 
24. Yuki Shiraishi          Tech 1 Racing          1'35.125  21 
25. Patric Niederhauser     Jenzer Motorsport     12.17,532.  1 

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