GP3 Vainio dominates day two of GP3 test in Estoril

22nd February 2012

Lotus GP’s Aaro Vainio quickest in day two of testing in Portugal.
 
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.
 
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 Laptime 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 Laptime 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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