Renault's reserve driver Romain Grosjean set the pace on the opening day of GP2 Asia series testing at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi.
The Frenchman, who will race in the series with the DAMS team, posted the best time of the day in the afternoon following a very slow morning, during which there was very little running due to the track conditions.
A sandstorm on Tuesday meant the track was too dusty for any significant work to be carried out, and most drivers settled for installations laps. Conditions improved in the afternoon despite some early rain, however, and Grosjean emerged on top with a time that was around half a second quicker than his closest rival, Jules Bianchi in the Lotus ART car.
GP3 Series graduate Stefano Coletti, quickest in the morning, was third fastest in the afternoon with the Trident car, with the two Barwa Addax cars of Giedo van der Garde and Charles Pix completing the top five. The test continues tomorrow.
Morning times:
Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Stefano Coletti Trident Racing 1:54.161 8
2. Max Chilton Carlin 1:54.810 5
3. Rodolfo Gonzalez Trident Racing 1:55.347 8
4. Giedo van der Garde Barwa Addax Team 1:55.496 5
5. Nathanael Berthon Racing Engineering 1:55.803 6
6. Dani Clos Racing Engineering 1:56.654 7
7. Oliver Turvey Ocean Racing Technology 1:57.134 6
8. Charles Pic Barwa Addax Team 1:57.408 5
9. Andrea Caldarelli Ocean Racing Technology 1:58.195 7
10. Pal Varhaug Dams 1:59.827 8
11. Fairuz Fauzy Super Nova Racing 2:00.373 4
12. James Jakes Scuderia Coloni 2:01.180 3
13. Johnny Cecotto Super Nova Racing 2:02.287 5
14. Esteban Gutierrez Lotus ART 2:07.039 4
15. Luiz Razia Team AirAsia 2:19.672 10
16. Michael Herck Scuderia Coloni 2
17. Marcus Ericsson iSport International 1
18. Sam Bird iSport International 1
19. Josef Kral Ardent International 1
20. Jolyon Palmer Arden International 1
21. Romain Grosjean Dams 1
22. Julian Leal Rapax 1
23. Mikhail Aleshin Carlin 1
24. Davide Valsecchi Team AirAsia 1
25. Fabio Leimer Rapax 0
26. Jules Bianchi Lotus ART 0
Afternoon times:
Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Romain Grosjean Dams 1:49.768 39
2. Jules Bianchi Lotus ART 1:50.212 30
3. Stefano Coletti Trident Racing 1:50.388 9
4. Giedo van der Garde Barwa Addax Team 1:50.474 21
5. Charles Pic Barwa Addax Team 1:50.477 20
6. Michael Herck Scuderia Coloni 1:50.526 29
7. Marcus Ericsson iSport International 1:50.580 16
8. Esteban Gutierrez Lotus ART 1:50.727 31
9. Josef Kral Arden International 1:50.820 17
10. Oliver Turvey Ocean Racing Technology 1:50.992 19
11. Davide Valsecchi Team AirAsia 1:51.004 21
12. Nathanael Berthon Racing Engineering 1:51.046 22
13. Max Chilton Carlin 1:51.111 17
14. Julian Leal Rapax 1:51.127 19
15. Rodolfo Gonzalez Trident Racing 1:51.169 29
16. Pal Varhaug Dams 1:51.362 30
17. Andrea Caldarelli Ocean Racing Technology 1:51.396 26
18. Luiz Razia Team AirAsia 1:51.505 32
19. Fabio Leimer Rapax 1:51.636 21
20. Jolyon Palmer Arden International 1:51.662 25
21. Mikhail Aleshin Carlin 1:51.765 17
22. Fairuz Fauzy Super Nova Racing 1:52.021 23
23. Johnny Cecotto Super Nova Racing 1:52.206 30
24. James Jakes Scuderia Coloni 1:52.587 9
25. Sam Bird iSport International 1:52.616 4
26. Dani Clos Racing Engineering 2:05.096 21