Vainio dominates day two of GP3 test in Estoril

Finnish driver Aaro Vainio ended the first official GP3 Series pre-season Test as fastest man on day two in Estoril. His best laptime was one second quicker than the benchmark set by Nico Muller yesterday. Vainio had been within the top four quickest drivers on day one and continued his good form into the second day. After heading the morning timesheets, Vanio remained unchallenged for the rest of the day.

Aaro Vainio (Lotus GP) Credit: GP3 Series

It was another glorious day at the Circuito do Estoril for the second and final day of testing for GP3 Series. The early morning pace setter was Mitch Evans, until Vainio claimed control of the session after around thirty minutes. The Finn remained top of the standings. Seven drivers broke into the 1'30s barrier, making a significant improvement on the times set on day one.

Antonio Felix Da Costa was hot on the tails of Vainio's best efforts and was closely followed by Evans and Conor Daly. Cypriot driver Tio Ellinas then produced a fine effort to shoot up to second fastest and the Marussia Manor Racing star maintained his second quickest time, less than a tenth behind the Lotus GP driver.

Hungarian Tamas Pal Kiss repeated his day one form with the sixth fastest lap, whilst Patric Niederhauser made massive steps from his best of 16th on day one, to seventh at the close of the morning session. All three Jenzer Motorsport drivers completed times within the top ten, with Mathéo Tuscher the 15 year old, again impressing with the eighth fastest lap ahead of Robert Visoiu in tenth. German driver Daniel Abt in the Lotus GP split the Jenzer Motorsport drivers posting the ninth fastest time.

The session was briefly red flagged twice when new recruit to GP3 Series, Vicky Piria, spun and stopped on the circuit after testing the limits whilst getting to grips with her second time testing for Trident Racing.

The afternoon session was eerily quiet for the first hour and then the action began to hot up. Matias Laine took control and was joined by Da Costa at the top of the timesheets. Micki Weckstrom then snuck into second position. Within the last hour Ellinas jumped from third to first while Swiss driver Niederhauser progressed to second.

Da Costa was third with Marlon Stockinger for Status Grand Prix in fourth. Laine, Kiss and Weckstrom were next in fifth, sixth and seventh. Italian David Fumanelli was eighth fastest ahead of Evans and Nico Müller. Times were around a second slower compared to the morning session.

The next test session will take place at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona 12-13th March 2012.

Morning session
 
    Driver                  Team                   Lap Time Laps
    
1.  Aaro Vainio             Lotus GP               1:30,466  30 
2.  Tio Ellinas             Marussia Manor Racing  1:30,573  24 
3.  Ant. Felix da Costa     Carlin                 1:30,610  41 
4.  Mitch Evans             MW Arden               1:30,810  34 
5.  Conor Daly              Lotus GP               1:30,855  34 
6.  Tamás Pál Kiss          Atech CRS GP           1:30,936  29 
7.  Patric Niederhauser     Jenzer Motorsport      1:30,985  38 
8.  Mathéo Tuscher          Jenzer Motorsport      1:31,036  36 
9.  Daniel Abt              Lotus GP               1:31,055  39 
10. Robert Visoiu           Jenzer Motorsport      1:31,314  33 
11. Dmitry Suranovich       Marussia Manor Racing  1:31,382  34 
12. Fabiano Machado         Marussia Manor Racing  1:31,491  27 
13. David Fumanelli         MW Arden               1:31,527  22 
14. Nico Müller             Tech 1 Racing          1:31,570  41 
15. William Buller          Carlin                 1:31,597  36 
16. Matias Laine            MW Arden               1:31,857  18 
17. Marlon Stockinger       Status Grand Prix      1:31,908  29 
18. Alex Brundle            Carlin                 1:32.001  52 
19. Miki Weckstrom          Status Grand Prix      1:32,014  28 
20. Yuki Shiraishi          Trident Racing         1:32,307  39 
21. Antonio Spavone         Trident Racing         1:32,446  35 
22. Ethan Ringel            Atech CRS GP           1:32,466  28 
23. Robert Cregan           Tech 1 Racing          1:32,594  23 
24. Vicky Piria             Trident Racing         1:32,932  31 
25. Nil Montserrat          Status Grand Prix      1:37,132  21 



 
Afternoon Session
 
    Driver                  Team                   Lap Time Laps
    
1.  Tio Ellinas             Marussia Manor Racing  1:30,862  31 
2.  Patric Niederhauser     Jenzer Motorsport      1:31,189  32 
3.  Antonio Felix Da Costa  Carlin                 1:31,225  26 
4.  Marlon Stockinger       Status Grand Prix      1:31,298  29 
5.  Matias Laine            MW Arden               1:31,421  31 
6.  Tamás Pál Kiss          Atech CRS GP           1:31,514  21 
7.  Miki Weckstrom          Status Grand Prix      1:31,539  26 
8.  David Fumanelli         MW Arden               1:31,578  30 
9.  Mitch Evans             MW Arden               1:31,773  29 
10. Nico Müller             Tech 1 Racing          1:31,904  28 
11. Dmitry Suranoch         Jenzer Motorsport      1:32,063  32 
12. Mathéo Tuscher          Jenzer Motorsport      1:32,177  39 
13. Alex Brundle            Carlin                 1:32,245  52 
14. Robert Visoiu           Jenzer Motorsport      1:32,257  31 
15. Nil Montserrat          Status Grand Prix      1:32,357  35 
16. William Buller          Carlin                 1:32,476  41 
17. Aaro Vainio             Lotus GP               1:32,523  28 
18. Ethan Ringel            Atech CRS GP           1:32,638  24 
19. Antonio Spavone         Trident Racing         1:32,644  38 
20. Conor Daly              Lotus GP               1:33,041  37 
21. Yuki Shiraishi          Trident Racing         1:33,099  45 
22. Vicky Piria             Trident Racing         1:33,208  33 
23. Fabiano Machado         Marussia Manor Racing  1:33,258  30 
24. Daniel Abt              Lotus GP               1:33,306  37 
25. Robert Cregan           Tech 1 Racing          1:33,607  23 

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