Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Abu Dhabi GP3 test: Outgoing Red Bull junior Kari leads for MP

Outgoing Red Bull junior Niko Kari topped the times on the first day of GP3's post-season test in Abu Dhabi for MP Motorsport

GP3 race winner Alessio Lorandi ended up with the second fastest time, ahead of European Formula 3 frontrunner Callum Ilott.

Kari, who won the first race of the 2017 GP3 season finale at the Yas Marina circuit last weekend for Arden International, clocked the day's best time of 1m54.960s, which he set in the morning session, and was the only driver to break the 1m55s barrier.

The three-day post-season test is MP's first chance to sample the GP3 cars it has taken over from the DAMS squad, which ended its two-year entry into the Formula 1-supporting third-tier category last weekend.

Lorandi - the winner of the second GP3 race at Jerez in October - ended up 0.165 seconds adrift of Kari's best time, as Ilott, who topped the afternoon session for GP3 powerhouse ART Grand Prix, wound up 0.317s off the pace.

Giuliano Alesi was fourth quickest for the Trident team with which he won three GP3 races in 2017, ahead of Leonardo Pulcini (Campos) and Jehan Daruvala (Arden).

Pedro Piquet - son of triple F1 world champion Nelson Piquet - was seventh fastest for Trident, ahead of Nikita Mazepin and Jake Hughes (both ART).

Formula Renault Eurocup race winner Gabriel Aubry rounded out the top 10 for MP.

Sauber F1 development driver Tatiana Calderon was 12th fastest for ART, with Euro F3 and Macau Grand Prix star Ferdinand Habsburg and FRenault Eurocup frontrunner Will Palmer (both Arden) 17th and 18th overall respectively.

Day one morning times

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Niko Kari MP Motorsport 1m54.960s - 24
2 Alessio Lorandi Trident 1m55.125s 0.165s 20
3 Giuliano Alesi Trident 1m55.530s 0.570s 22
4 Jehan Daruvala Arden International 1m55.751s 0.791s 26
5 Ryan Tveter Trident 1m55.770s 0.810s 20
6 Leonardo Pulcini Campos Racing 1m55.871s 0.911s 19
7 Jake Hughes ART Grand Prix 1m55.983s 1.023s 32
8 Tatiana Calderon ART Grand Prix 1m56.053s 1.093s 34
9 Gabriel Aubry MP Motorsport 1m56.144s 1.184s 28
10 Juan Manuel Correa Jenzer Motorsport 1m56.243s 1.283s 27
11 Pedro Piquet Trident 1m56.303s 1.343s 28
12 Ferdinand Habsburg Arden International 1m56.467s 1.507s 29
13 David Beckmann Jenzer Motorsport 1m56.618s 1.658s 21
14 Will Palmer Arden International 1m56.904s 1.944s 26
15 Thiago Vivacqua Campos Racing 1m56.937s 1.977s 28
16 Simo Laaksonen Campos Racing 1m56.970s 2.010s 31
17 Callum Ilott ART Grand Prix 1m57.087s 2.127s 34
18 Nikita Mazepin ART Grand Prix 1m57.385s 2.425s 34
19 Leonard Hoogenboom MP Motorsport 1m57.416s 2.456s 22
20 Job van Uitert Jenzer Motorsport 1m57.436s 2.476s 25

Afternoon times

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Callum Ilott ART Grand Prix 1m55.277s - 28
2 Giuliano Alesi Trident 1m55.280s 0.003s 23
3 Leonardo Pulcini Campos Racing 1m55.362s 0.085s 32
4 Jehan Daruvala Arden International 1m55.458s 0.181s 29
5 Alessio Lorandi Trident 1m55.492s 0.215s 28
6 Pedro Piquet Trident 1m55.509s 0.232s 37
7 Niko Kari MP Motorsport 1m55.588s 0.311s 30
8 Nikita Mazepin ART Grand Prix 1m55.598s 0.321s 29
9 Jake Hughes ART Grand Prix 1m55.619s 0.342s 30
10 Gabriel Aubry MP Motorsport 1m55.766s 0.489s 30
11 Tatiana Calderon ART Grand Prix 1m55.855s 0.578s 32
12 David Beckmann Jenzer Motorsport 1m55.903s 0.626s 24
13 Ryan Tveter Trident 1m55.915s 0.638s 30
14 Thiago Vivacqua Campos Racing 1m55.991s 0.714s 35
15 Job van Uitert Jenzer Motorsport 1m56.330s 1.053s 31
16 Ferdinand Habsburg Arden International 1m56.475s 1.198s 33
17 Juan Manuel Correa Jenzer Motorsport 1m56.547s 1.270s 27
18 Will Palmer Arden International 1m56.582s 1.305s 33
19 Leonard Hoogenboom MP Motorsport 1m56.695s 1.418s 32
20 Simo Laaksonen Campos Racing 2m03.387s 8.110s 6


Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Formula 3 star Eriksson tipped for 2018 BMW DTM seat
Next article Abu Dhabi GP3 test: Kari fastest again on day two for MP Motorsport

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe