Clarke Tops Final 2010 F2 Test In Barcelona

Jack Clarke ended the final Formula Two action of 2010 at the top of the timesheets, setting the quickest time overall in the two-day winter test at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.

Clarke, who had been amongst the pacesetters at last week's test at Portimao, was beaten to top spot on Thursday by F2 returnee Alex Brundle. He then set a time of 1:37.121 on Friday morning, which would not be bettered for the rest of the day.

Spaniard Ramon Pineiro set the second fastest time of the test, also on in the opening hour of Friday morning's session. Brundle's Thursday time ended up as his best, which was good enough for third overall in the test. Italian F3 champion Cesar Ramos was quickest of everybody in the Friday evening session, making him fourth fastest overall on his F2 debut.

Christopher Zanella, another F3 regular, was fifth fastest, ahead of F2 regular Mihai Marinescu. The Romanian beat another 2010 F2 Championship driver, and pacesetter at last week's Portimao test, Benjamin Lariche by just one thousandth of a second.

Formula Palmer Audi champion Nigel Moore was eighth fastest on his F2 debut, with FPA rival Maxime Jousse setting the ninth fastest time, despite only running on Thursday. British Formula Ford driver Daniel Cammish was impressive on his F2 debut, rounding out the quickest ten drivers.

2010 F2 regular Kelvin Snoeks was 11^th fastest, ahead of German Thiemo Storz, Russian Max Snegirev and debutant Dominik Kraihamer of Austria. Chinese driver Martin Qing Hua and Finland's Jukka Honkavuori made their F2 debuts on Friday, and were 15^th and 16^th fastest respectively. Rounding out the runners was 37-year-old Bulgarian F2 regular Plamen Kralev, nearly three and a half seconds off Clarke's benchmark.

Clarke said: “Testing has been fantastic really. I feel like I have finally found the consistency and speed on new tyres, and it's been a real confidence booster to finish inside the top three in every session. I did my time nice and early today when the track was especially good, but it was also a very good lap. The tests have certainly made F2 a very strong option for us, and if I can carry this form and intensity into a 2011 championship campaign I believe it will mark me out as an early favourite.”

Combined Test Times:

1. Jack Clarke – 1.37.121s
2. Ramon Pineiro – 1.37.658s, +0.537s
3. Alex Brundle – 1.37.722s, +0.601s
4. Cesar Ramos – 1.37.843s, +0.722s
5. Christopher Zanella – 1.37.968s, +0.847s
6. Mihai Marinescu – 1.38.104s, +0.983s
7. Benjamin Lariche – 1.38.105s, +0.984s
8. Nigel Moore – 1.38.303s, +1.182s
9. Maxime Jousse – 1.38.380s, +1.259s
10. Daniel Cammish – 1.38.580s, +1.459s
11. Kelvin Snoeks – 1.38.645s, +1.524s
12. Thiemo Storz – 1.38.793s, +1.672s
13. Max Snegirev – 1.38.872s, +1.751s
14. Dominik Kraihamer – 1.39.048s, +1.927s
15. Martin Qing Hua – 1.39.076s, +1.955s
16. Jonkka Honkavuori – 1.39.507s, +2.386s
17. Plamen Kralev – 1.40.596s, +3.475s