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Melker Ends Pre-Season Testing On Top In Barcelona

2 Mins read

Nigel Melker was the quickest man on the final day of GP3 Series pre-season testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.

During the morning session the top spot changed hands between a number of drivers until second-year driver Melker posted a time of 1m37.882 for Mucke Motorsport. His time remained unbeaten for the rest of the session. Alexander Sims was second in the morning session for Status Grand Prix, ahead of Nico Muller for Jenzer Motorsport. Mitch Evans and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs rounded out the top five for MW Arden and Manor respectively.

Valtteri Bottas topped the timesheets for the first half of the final pre-season test session in the afternoon, before Melker returned to top spot. As with the previous two days, the track conditions at Barcelona meant that times were slower than they were in the morning. Quaife-Hobbs was the man who went fastest in the final hour of the session, remaining in top spot until a red flag two minutes before the end of the session brought a slightly early end to pre-season testing. Muller was second, ahead of another Manor driver Rio Haryanto, Bottas and Michael Christensen. Sims would have ended the afternoon second but was found to be running underweight.

Morning session times:

Pos #  Driver  Team  Time  Gap Laps
1 31 Nigel Melker RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:37.882   33
2 4 Alexander Sims Status Grand Prix 1:38.190 +0.308 42
3 7 Nico Muller Jenzer Motorsport 1:38.251 +0.369 40
4 26 Mitch Evans MW Arden 1:38.297 +0.415 32
5 10 Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Marussia Manor Racing 1:38.299 +0.417 45
6 20 Marlon Stockinger Atech CRS GP 1:38.312 +0.430 24
7 5 Antonio Felix Da Costa Status Grand Prix 1:38.321 +0.439 41
8 18 Andrea Caldarelli Tech 1 Racing 1:38.381 +0.499 35
9 17 Aaro Vainio Tech 1 Racing 1:38.394 +0.512 37
10 3 James Calado Lotus ART 1:38.422 +0.540 51
11 11 Rio Haryanto Marussia Manor Racing 1:38.464 +0.582 39
12 2 Valtteri Bottas Lotus ART 1:38.483 +0.601 54
13 30 Michael Christensen RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:38.496 +0.614 46
14 24 Gabby Chaves Addax Team 1:38.549 +0.667 41
15 12 Matias Laine Marussia Manor Racing 1:38.583 +0.701 28
16 28 Lewis Williamson MW Arden 1:38.593 +0.711 32
17 27 Simon Trummer MW Arden 1:38.734 +0.852 35
18 15 Tom Dillmann Carlin 1:38.834 +0.952 35
19 19 Tamas Pal Kiss Tech 1 Racing 1:38.847 +0.965 29
20 6 Ivan Lukashevich Status Grand Prix 1:38.941 +1.059 43
21 1 Pedro Nunes Lotus ART 1:39.021 +1.139 44
22 21 Nick Yelloly Atech CRS GP 1:39.036 +1.154 28
23 8 Maxim Zimin Jenzer Motorsport 1:39.093 +1.211 31
24 25 Daniel Morad Addax Team 1:39.112 +1.230 31
25 29 Willi Steindl RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:39.147 +1.265 40
26 9 Vittorio Ghirelli Jenzer Motorsport 1:39.175 +1.293 28
27 16 Leonardo Cordeiro Carlin 1:39.274 +1.392 36
28 14 Conor Daly Carlin 1:39.425 +1.543 55
29 22 Zoel Amberg Atech CRS GP 1:39.573 +1.691 20
30 23 Thomas Hylkema Addax Team 1:40.107 +2.225 48

Afternoon session times:

Pos # Driver Team  Time Gap Laps
1 10 Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Marussia Manor Racing 1:38.625   27
2 7 Nico Muller Jenzer Motorsport 1:38.780 +0.155 40
3 11 Rio Haryanto Marussia Manor Racing 1:38.891 +0.266 35
4 2 Valtteri Bottas Lotus ART 1:38.916 +0.291 31
5 30 Michael Christensen Rsc Mucke Motorsport 1:39.020 +0.395 29
6 26 Mitch Evans MW Arden 1:39.060 +0.435 25
7 31 Nigel Melker Rsc Mucke Motorsport 1:39.119 +0.494 20
8 5 Antonio Felix Da Costa Status Grand Prix 1:39.146 +0.521 39
9 18 Andrea Caldarelli Tech 1 Racing 1:39.241 +0.616 34
10 20 Marlon Stockinger Atech CRS GP 1:39.253 +0.628 40
11 27 Simon Trummer MW Arden 1:39.318 +0.693 35
12 1 Pedro Nunes Lotus ART 1:39.444 +0.819 35
13 14 Conor Daly Carlin 1:39.445 +0.820 37
14 12 Matias Laine Marussia Manor Racing 1:39.480 +0.855 28
15 9 Vittorio Ghirelli Jenzer Motorsport 1:39.510 +0.885 39
16 6 Ivan Lukashevich Status Grand Prix 1:39.532 +0.907 35
17 17 Aaro Vainio Tech 1 Racing 1:39.668 +1.043 34
18 8 Maxim Zimin Jenzer Motorsport 1:39.680 +1.055 33
19 15 Tom Dillmann Carlin 1:39.712 +1.087 34
20 25 Daniel Morad Addax Team 1:39.771 +1.146 26
21 16 Leonardo Cordeiro Carlin 1:39.817 +1.192 31
22 28 Lewis Williamson MW Arden 1:39.838 +1.213 19
23 19 Tamas Pal Kiss Tech 1 Racing 1:39.868 +1.243 38
24 21 Nick Yelloly Atech CRS GP 1:40.226 +1.601 40
25 23 Thomas Hylkema Addax Team 1:40.281 +1.656 32
26 29 Willi Steindl RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:40.294 +1.669 30
27 24 Gabby Chaves Addax Team 1:41.110 +2.485 24
28 22 Zoel Amberg Atech CRS GP 1:42.390 +3.765 10
  4 Alexander Sims Status Grand Prix 1:38.628   48
  3 James Calado Lotus ART 1:39.461   45
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Peter joined the TCF team in September 2010 and covers GP2 and GP3 along with WTCC and Formula Two. You can find him on twitter at @PeteAllen_
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