Nico Muller Tops Second Day Of Paul Ricard Test

Second year GP3 Series driver Nico Muller recorded the fastest time on the second and final day of the pre-season test at Paul Ricard in France. The Swiss driver posted the time for Jenzer Motorsport during the morning session.

Following a rain-hit first day at the track in Le Castellet, the teams enjoyed improved conditions for the second day, but were greeted by a damp track at the start of the morning. It was Status driver Antonio Felix da Costa and Atech CRS's Nick Yelloly who set the initial pace in the tricky conditions.

The track dried throughout the morning, and once drivers were able to fit slick tyres the times began to fall. Alexander Sims, who had been the pacesetter on the opening day, took the top spot for Status, but a rush of quick laps on new rubber late in the session adjusted the order. Muller came out on top, with the RSC Mucke Motorsport pairing of Nigel Melker and Michael Christensen locking out the top three positions for the second-year drivers. MW Arden's Simon Trummer was fourth quickest, with Felix da Costa ending up fifth.

In the afternoon it was Sims who set the pace once again. His time was not matched until late in the session, when drivers once again fitted fresh tyres. James Calado went to the top of timing screens for ART, but was found to have cut the chicane on his quickest lap. This meant that his two fastest times from the afternoon session were deleted. This restored Sims to P1, with New Zealand rookie Mitch Evans second for MW Arden and Muller third, his morning benchmark time not being bettered during the afternoon. Felix da Costa was fourth, with Daniel Morad fifth for Addax.

GP3 Series pre-season testing will resume at Silverstone in just over three weeks time.

Morning session:

Afternoon session: