Antonio Felix da Costa set the pace on the opening day of the final preseason GP3 Series test at the Barcelona circuit.
The Portuguese driver's 1m38.776s – set in the morning session – was enough to keep the Status GP racer just ahead of Nico Muller in the Jenzer Motorsport car and Nigel Melker RSC Mucke machine. Both men finished less than a tenth of a second behind da Costa.
Da Costa set his time early in the morning, and the rising temperatures at the Spanish track meant his time was not beaten all day.
Two red flags interrupted the morning session, with Carlin's Conor Daly hitting the barrier at Turn 3 and Addax's Thomas Hylkema going off track. There was just one stoppage in the afternoon, when Michael Christensen made a trip into the gravel trap.
Alexander Sims finished the day fourth overall despite posting the quickest time in the afternoon, with Valtteri Bottas rounding up the top five in the Lotus ART car.
The test continues tomorrow.
Morning times
Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Antonio Felix Da Costa Status Grand Prix 1m38.776s
2. Nico Muller Jenzer Motorsport 1m38.810s + 0.034 23
3. Nigel Melker Rsc Mucke Motorsport 1m38.816s + 0.040 34
4. Alexander Sims Status Grand Prix 1m38.993s + 0.217 44
5. Valtteri Bottas Lotus Art 1m39.245s + 0.469 25
6. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Marussia Racing 1m39.252s + 0.476 27
7. James Calado Lotus Art 1m39.287s + 0.511 35
8. Tom Dillmann Carlin 1m39.451s + 0.675 34
9. Maxim Zimin Jenzer Motorsport 1m39.494s + 0.718 28
10. Lewis Williamson Mw Arden 1m39.608s + 0.832 34
11. Aaro Vainio Tech 1 Racing 1m39.620s + 0.844 30
12. Pedro Nunes Lotus Art 1m39.623s + 0.847 29
13. Michael Christensen Rsc Mucke Motorsport 1m39.644s + 0.868 34
14. Rio Haryanto Marussia Racing 1m39.673s + 0.897 37
15. Marlon Stockinger Atech Crs Gp 1m39.688s + 0.912 30
16. Simon Trummer Mw Arden 1m39.806s + 1.030 30
17. Tamas Pal Kiss Tech 1 Racing 1m39.862s + 1.086 28
18. Ivan Lukashevich Status Grand Prix 1m39.867s + 1.091 39
19. Gabby Chaves Addax Team 1m39.932s + 1.156 32
20. Leonardo Cordeiro Carlin 1m39.958s + 1.182 25
21. Nick Yelloly Atech Crs Gp 1m39.961s + 1.185 28
22. Daniel Morad Addax Team 1m40.023s + 1.247 26
23. Vittorio Ghirelli Jenzer Motorsport 1m40.206s + 1.43 28
24. Mitch Evans Mw Arden 1m40.223s + 1.447 25
25. Andrea Caldarelli Tech 1 Racing 1m40.251s + 1.475 26
26. Matias Laine Marussia Racing 1m40.423s + 1.647 23
27. Willi Steindl Rsc Mucke Motorsport 1m40.468s + 1.692 34
28. Zoel Amberg Atech Crs Gp 1m41.070s + 2.294 17
29. Thomas Hylkema Addax Team 1m41.627s + 2.851 36
30. Conor Daly Carlin 1m41.745s + 2.969 12
Afternoon times
Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Alexander Sims Status Grand Prix 1m39.469s 21
2. Valtteri Bottas Lotus Art 1m39.573s + 0.104 31
3. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Marussia Racing 1m39.663s + 0.194 32
4. Mitch Evans Mw Arden 1m39.686s + 0.217 39
5. Pedro Nunes Lotus Art 1m39.709s + 0.240 26
6. Lewis Williamson Mw Arden 1m39.736s + 0.267 23
7. Antonio Felix Da Costa Status Grand Prix 1m39.763s + 0.294 12
8. Simon Trummer Mw Arden 1m39.856s + 0.387 32
9. Andrea Caldarelli Tech 1 Racing 1m39.874s + 0.405 24
10. Gabby Chaves Addax Team 1m39.995s + 0.526 25
11. James Calado Lotus Art 1m39.997s + 0.528 34
12. Daniel Morad Addax Team 1m40.027s + 0.558 25
13. Nigel Melker Rsc Mucke Motorsport 1m40.028s + 0.559 32
14. Aaro Vainio Tech 1 Racing 1m40.145s + 0.676 31
15. Tamas Pal Kiss Tech 1 Racing 1m40.208s + 0.739 29
16. Michael Christensen Rsc Mucke Motorsport 1m40.336s + 0.867 26
17. Ivan Lukashevich Status Grand Prix 1m40.347s + 0.878 43
18. Leonardo Cordeiro Carlin 1m40.351s + 0.882 37
19. Marlon Stockinger Atech Crs Gp 1m40.390s + 0.921 18
20. Vittorio Ghirelli Jenzer Motorsport 1m40.397s + 0.928 34
21. Willi Steindl Rsc Mucke Motorsport 1m40.466s + 0.997 32
22. Rio Haryanto Marussia Racing 1m40.476s + 1.007 36
23. Nick Yelloly Atech Crs Gp 1m40.499s + 1.030 27
24. Maxim Zimin Jenzer Motorsport 1m40.558s + 1.089 32
25. Tom Dillmann Carlin 1m40.563s + 1.094 26
26. Matias Laine Marussia Racing 1m40.684s + 1.215 34
27. Thomas Hylkema Addax Team 1m41.059s + 1.590 35
28. Zoel Amberg Atech Crs Gp 1m41.067s + 1.598 21
29. Nico Muller Jenzer Motorsport 1m41.241s + 1.772 49
30. Conor Daly Carlin 1m48.409s + 8.940 4
All Timing Unofficial