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McLaren F1 junior de Vries opens F2 Bahrain test on top for Prema

McLaren Formula 1 junior Nyck de Vries set the pace at the opening of Formula 2's final 2018 pre-season test, which got underway in Bahrain

Prema Racing driver de Vries clocked a best time of 1m43.785s during the afternoon running in warm and sunny conditions to finish 0.170s clear of Charouz Racing System's Louis Deletraz.

Luca Ghiotto led the way during the morning session and his time was quick enough to leave him third overall for Campos Racing.

Reigning Formula 3 European champion Lando Norris, who bagged the fastest time of the first pre-season test that took place at Paul Ricard earlier this month, ended up fourth quickest, 0.009s behind Ghiotto.

F2 newcomer and Haas development driver Arjun Maini finished fifth, while Ferrari Academy member Antonio Fuoco claimed the sixth spot for Charouz.

Ralph Boschung (MP Motorsport), Arden International's Maximilian Gunther, Sergio Sette Camara (Carlin) and ART Grand Prix driver Jack Aitken rounded out the top 10.

Mercedes F1 reserve George Russell finished half a tenth behind Aitken, his ART team-mate, in 11th, with 2017 F2 runner-up Artem Markelov 13th for Russian Time.

Roberto Merhi and Roy Nissany again tested for MP and Campos respectively, with those teams still yet to confirm their racing line-ups, and were classified 16th and 19th.

Nicholas Latifi finished at the foot of the 20-driver timesheet as he returned to action for DAMS after missing the first test through illness.

The F2 teams will complete two more days of running with the new F2 2018 car before the season gets underway with the opening round taking place in Bahrain on the F1 support bill on 6-8 April.

Morning times

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1 Luca Ghiotto Campos Vexatec Racing 1m44.042s 28
2 Antonio Fuoco Charouz Racing System 1m44.435s 12
3 Louis Deletraz Charouz Racing System 1m44.549s 17
4 Maximilian Guenther BWT Arden 1m44.603s 23
5 Artem Markelov RUSSIAN TIME 1m44.657s 14
6 Nirei Fukuzumi BWT Arden 1m44.711s 25
7 Alexander Albon DAMS 1m44.868s 12
8 Arjun Maini Trident 1m44.919s 14
9 Nyck de Vries Pertamina Prema Theodore Racing 1m44.944s 27
10 Roy Nissany Campos Vexatec Racing 1m45.022s 24
11 Lando Norris Carlin 1m45.087s 24
12 Ralph Boschung MP Motorsport 1m45.214s 14
13 Sergio Sette Camara Carlin 1m45.225s 24
14 Tadasuke Makino RUSSIAN TIME 1m45.369s 16
15 Nicholas Latifi DAMS 1m45.600s 18
16 Roberto Merhi MP Motorsport 1m45.800s 16
17 Sean Gelael Pertamina Prema Theodore Racing 1m45.920s 26
18 Santino Ferrucci Trident 1m45.935s 21
19 George Russell ART Grand Prix 2m20.779s 29
20 Jack Aitken ART Grand Prix 2m28.722s 27

Afternoon times

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1 Nyck de Vries Pertamina Prema Theodore Racing 1m43.785s 21
2 Louis Deletraz Charouz Racing System 1m43.955s 24
3 Lando Norris Carlin 1m44.051s 26
4 Arjun Maini Trident 1m44.115s 27
5 Antonio Fuoco Charouz Racing System 1m44.202s 19
6 Ralph Boschung MP Motorsport 1m44.327s 20
7 Luca Ghiotto Campos Vexatec Racing 1m44.363s 19
8 Maximilian Guenther BWT Arden 1m44.410s 30
9 Sergio Sette Camara Carlin 1m44.444s 25
10 Jack Aitken ART Grand Prix 1m44.448s 42
11 George Russell ART Grand Prix 1m44.505s 36
12 Tadasuke Makino RUSSIAN TIME 1m44.637s 23
13 Artem Markelov RUSSIAN TIME 1m44.644s 21
14 Sean Gelael Pertamina Prema Theodore Racing 1m44.683s 22
15 Roberto Merhi MP Motorsport 1m44.806s 25
16 Santino Ferrucci Trident 1m44.820s 24
17 Nicholas Latifi DAMS 1m45.893s 22
18 Roy Nissany Campos Vexatec Racing 1m45.923s 21
19 Alexander Albon DAMS 1m46.217s 28
20 Nirei Fukuzumi BWT Arden 1m49.230s 28


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