GP3 Series

Vainio Fastest On Day 2 At Estoril For Lotus GP

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Aaro Vainio - Photo Credit: Alastair Staley/GP3 Media Service

Vainio was the fastest man around the Portuguese circuit - Photo Credit: Alastair Staley/GP3 Media Service

Aaro Vainio marked himself out as one to watch this season as he recorded the best time of the second day of the opening GP3 Series pre-season test at Estoril.

The Finnish driver put himself at the top of the timesheets just 30 minutes into the morning session behind the wheel of his Lotus GP car, and held that position until the end of the three hour session.

Tio Ellinas was second quickest for Marussia Manor Racing, just over a tenth behind Vainio. Local ace Antonio Felix da Costa was just behind Ellinas in third for Carlin, with Mitch Evans fourth for MW Arden.

Conor Daly (Lotus) and Tamas Pal Kiss (Atech CRS) completed the top six, ahead of the Jenzer duo of Patric Niederhauser and Matheo Tuscher. Daniel Abt and Robert Visoiu rounded out the top ten for Lotus and Jenzer respectively.

After Vainio's performance in the morning it was down to two of his compatriots to dominate for much of the afternoon running, with Marussia Manor's Matias Laine heading the timesheets and Miki Weckstrom of Status in second place. Ellinas took top spot from teammate Laine within the final hour and finished the day there – but he was four tenths adrift of Vainio's morning benchmark.

Niederhauser moved up to second place, more than three tenths away from Ellinas. Felix da Costa took third with Marlon Stockinger in fourth for Status, demoting Laine down as far as fifth place. Pal Kiss was sixth, with Weckstrom seventh and the Arden duo of David Fumanelli and Evans in eighth and ninth. Day 1 pacesetter Nico Muller completed the top ten, having switched from Trident to Tech 1.

GP3 testing will resume at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain on 12-13 March.

Morning session

Pos  Driver Team Laptime Laps
1. Aaro Vainio Lotus GP 1:30,466 30
2. Tio Ellinas Marussia Manor Racing 1:30,573 24
3. Antonio 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

Pos  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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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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