This season’s GP2 Asia drivers have been getting a sneak preview of Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit as they tested this week ahead of the season’s first event as a support race for the F1 season finale.
On Tuesday Meritus’ Luca Filippi, a veteran of the main series, topped the timesheets with a fastest time of 1:52.842. Behind him were the similarly-experienced Roldan Rodriguez and Diego Nunes.
Sam Bird, testing for ART, topped the Brits with a time of 1:53.572 in the faster afternoon session, enough to win him sixth place overall. Behind him was Max Chilton for Barwa Addax in 10th place on 1:54.022 and Will Bratt for Scuderia Coloni in 11th on 1:54.060. James Jakes for Super Nova was 19th in a field of 22 with a time of 1:55.714.
On Wednesday Filippi and Rodriguez were once again at the top of the timesheets, with a strong challenge from Davide Valsecci.
Among the Brits Bird came second overall in the morning session but was beaten back to 12th in the afternoon. His fastest lap of the day was 1:52.478. Chilton was seventh in the morning and 19th in the afternoon with a fastest time of 1:52.998.
Jakes was 20th in the morning but got himself up to 14th in the afternoon with a hot lap of 1:52.567. And Bratt was 21st in the morning and 20th in the afternoon courtesy of his fastest time of 1:53.001.
The fifth British driver in the series, Oliver Turvey, did not take part in the test thanks to a clash with his World Series by Renault meeting in Spain.