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GP3 testing: Boccolacci halts ART's run of top times for Trident

The currently un-signed Dorian Boccolacci set the fastest time on the second and final day of the second GP3 pre-season test at Barcelona for the Trident team

Boccolacci's best lap of 1m32.896s was set just over an hour into the day's morning session, which took place in bright and mild conditions - in contrast to the cold and wet weather that opened the test on Wednesday.

The fine weather meant the teams used the morning running to simulate qualifying conditions and several drivers - including Boccolacci, Arjun Maini, Niko Kari - enjoyed spells at the top of the timesheets during a frenetic opening hour.

Boccolacci finished second in the Formula Renault Eurocup and third in the NEC series last year after stepping back down following a 2015 European Formula 3 campaign with Signature.

The 18-year-old Frenchman had already tested with the DAMS and Arden GP3 teams in late-2016, and though he has not yet sealed a deal with Trident, he has driven for it at every '17 test so far.

Thursday's result was the first time any team other than ART Grand Prix had been fastest on a GP3 test day in 2017, but the champion squad was second with Nirei Fukuzumi - the Wednesday pacesetter 0.012 seconds behind Boccolacci.

Fukuzumi's ART team-mates Jack Aitken and Mercedes Formula 1 junior driver George Russell were third and fourth, and no driver improved their times in the afternoon as they concentrated on long run practice after the lunchbreak.

Red Bull junior Kari finished fifth for Arden, ahead of Campos Racing's Raoul Hyman and Boccolacci's Trident team-mate Kevin Jorg.

Marcos Siebert - the 2016 Italian Formula 4 champion who is testing for Campos but is also yet to be confirmed as taking part in the '17 GP3 season - was eighth fastest, with Santino Ferrucci and Maini completing the top 10.

After only one red flag came out in the morning - so Steijn Schothorst's Arden car could be recovered after he stopped at Turn 5 just after the halfway point of the three-hour session - the afternoon was twice briefly brought to a halt.

Ryan Tveter stopped at Turn 2 one hour after lunch and 30 minutes later Tatiana Calderon and Hyman ground to a halt at Turn 9 and Turn 6.

The third GP3 pre-season test will take place at Valencia on 25-26 April, with the season getting under way on 13-14 May on the support bill for the Spanish Grand Prix.

MORNING TIMES:

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Dorian Boccolacci Trident 1m32.896s - 45
2 Nirei Fukuzumi ART Grand Prix 1m32.908s 0.012s 41
3 Jack Aitken ART Grand Prix 1m32.915s 0.019s 46
4 George Russell ART Grand Prix 1m32.944s 0.048s 57
5 Niko Kari Arden International 1m33.303s 0.407s 47
6 Raoul Hyman Campos Racing 1m33.374s 0.478s 44
7 Kevin Jorg Trident 1m33.437s 0.541s 45
8 Marcos Siebert Campos Racing 1m33.445s 0.549s 36
9 Santino Ferrucci DAMS 1m33.451s 0.555s 41
10 Arjun Maini Jenzer Motorsport 1m33.534s 0.638s 36
11 Leonardo Pulcini Arden International 1m33.593s 0.697s 41
12 Anthoine Hubert ART Grand Prix 1m33.640s 0.744s 43
13 Tatiana Calderon DAMS 1m33.702s 0.806s 35
14 Bruno Baptista DAMS 1m33.849s 0.953s 40
15 Alessio Lorandi Jenzer Motorsport 1m33.873s 0.977s 40
16 Ryan Tveter Trident 1m33.973s 1.077s 42
17 Julien Falchero Campos Racing 1m34.009s 1.113s 34
18 Steijn Schothorst Arden International 1m34.141s 1.245s 44
19 Giuliano Alesi Trident 1m34.234s 1.338s 41

AFTERNOON TIMES:

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Dorian Boccolacci Trident 1m34.022s - 43
2 Alessio Lorandi Jenzer Motorsport 1m35.425s 1.403s 41
3 Tatiana Calderon DAMS 1m35.624s 1.602s 34
4 Raoul Hyman Campos Racing 1m35.716s 1.694s 37
5 Santino Ferrucci DAMS 1m35.963s 1.941s 47
6 Julien Falchero Campos Racing 1m36.281s 2.259s 39
7 Arjun Maini Jenzer Motorsport 1m36.358s 2.336s 35
8 Marcos Siebert Campos Racing 1m36.374s 2.352s 40
9 Ryan Tveter Trident 1m36.430s 2.408s 41
10 Niko Kari Arden International 1m36.928s 2.906s 54
11 Leonardo Pulcini Arden International 1m36.987s 2.965s 35
12 Steijn Schothorst Arden International 1m37.147s 3.125s 51
13 Giuliano Alesi Trident 1m37.160s 3.138s 44
14 George Russell ART Grand Prix 1m37.546s 3.524s 53
15 Kevin Jorg Trident 1m37.600s 3.578s 46
16 Anthoine Hubert ART Grand Prix 1m37.713s 3.691s 53
17 Nirei Fukuzumi ART Grand Prix 1m37.732s 3.710s 54
18 Jack Aitken ART Grand Prix 1m37.753s 3.731s 48
19 Bruno Baptista DAMS 1m37.809s 3.787s 44


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