British Driver Nick Yelloly finished the first day of the GP3 Series pre-season test at the Circuito de Jerez fastest for his new Status Grand Prix team. Yelloly’s quickest time of 1:31.350s set in the morning session was enough to see him push Estoril pacesetter Alex Lynn into second place, the Carlin driver finishing 0.244s behind his fellow Brit.
Uruguayan rookie Santiago Urrutia was third for Koiranen and was the final driver to set a lap time under the 1:32s barrier. Two more British drivers in the form of ART Grand Prix’s Dino Zamparelli and Carlin’s Emil Bernstorff completed the top five, while Zamparelli’s ART team-mates Alex Fontana and Marvin Kirchhofer finished sixth and seventh.
The second Status Grand Prix entry of New Zealander Richie Stanaway, who is apparently close to being confirmed at the team for this season was eighth fastest, just ahead of Norwegian Pal Varhaug in the leading Jenzer Motorsport entry. Another Brit and the fastest of the Arden International entrants, Jann Mardenborough, rounded out the top ten.
Christopher Hoher caused the first red flag of the day when he spun his Jenzer Motorsport machine, the Austrian finishing the day 22nd fastest. Hilmer Motorsport’s Nelson Mason caused the second stoppage when his car stopped on track, while the third and final red flag was brought out by second year driver Patrick Kujala, his Marussia Manor Racing car also stopping out on the circuit. Mason ended the first day of Hilmer Motorsport’s adventure into GP3 16th fastest, while the second Hilmer machine of Russian Ivan Taranov was 24th.
Testing resumes tomorrow morning at 09:00am until 16:00, with an hour break between 12:00 and 13:00.
Jerez Day 1 Pre-Season Test Times
| POS | DRIVER | NAT | TEAM | TIME |
| 1 | Nick Yelloly | GBR | Status Grand Prix | 1:31.350 |
| 2 | Alex Lynn | GBR | Carlin | 1:31.594 |
| 3 | Santiago Urrutia | URU | Koiranen GP | 1:31.931 |
| 4 | Dino Zamparelli | GBR | ART Grand Prix | 1:32.130 |
| 5 | Emil Bernstorff | GBR | Carlin | 1:32.205 |
| 6 | Alex Fontana | SWI | ART Grand Prix | 1:32.227 |
| 7 | Marvin Kirchhofer | GER | ART Grand Prix | 1:32.237 |
| 8 | Richie Stanaway | NZL | Status Grand Prix | 1:32.354 |
| 9 | Pal Varhaug | NOR | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:32.450 |
| 10 | Jann Mardenborough | GBR | Arden International | 1:32.504 |
| 11 | Patrick Kujala | FIN | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:32.653 |
| 12 | Patric Niederhauser | SWI | Arden International | 1:32.687 |
| 13 | Luis Sa Silva | MAC | Carlin | 1:32.726 |
| 14 | Robert Visoiu | ROM | Arden International | 1:32.763 |
| 15 | Jimmy Eriksson | SWE | Koiranen GP | 1:32.901 |
| 16 | Nelson Mason | CAN | Hilmer Motorsport | 1:33.097 |
| 17 | Dean Stoneman | GBR | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:33.119 |
| 18 | Adderly Fong | CHN | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:33.210 |
| 19 | Ryan Cullen | GBR | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:33.426 |
| 20 | Roman De Beer | RSA | Trident Racing | 1:33.712 |
| 21 | Alfonso Celis Jr | MEX | Status Grand Prix | 1:33.726 |
| 22 | Christopher Hoher | AUT | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:34.243 |
| 23 | Denis Nagulin | RUS | Trident Racing | 1:34.469 |
| 24 | Ivan Taranov | RUS | Hilmer Motorsport | 1:34.557 |
| 25 | Victor Carbone | BRZ | Trident Racing | 1:35.571 |
| 26 | Carmen Jorda | ESP | Koiranen GP | 1:36.410 |
