Aaro Vainio quickest for Lotus in Hungary GP3 practice

Vainio, who arrived in Hungary 18 points behind leader Mitch Evans of MW Arden, knows he needs a big weekend to start closing the gap with only six races remaining. First on his agenda will be getting the four points for pole position on Saturday morning.

Despite the early start to the GP3 weekend, the air temperature was already well over 20C at the 0830 local start time. Evans was the first of the big guns to go to the top of the times when he emerged with half of the session gone, setting laps of 1m39.655s then 1m38.402s.

Silverstone winner Antonio Felix da Costa then went fastest for Carlin on 1m38.136s, but Vainio soon took top spot with 1m37.698s. With a minute of the session remaining, Vainio unleashed his 1m37.396s to extend his advantage to 0.423 seconds.

Da Costa stayed second, ahead of the second Lotus machine of Conor Daly, who was over half a second off the fastest time. Marlon Stockinger was fourth quickest for Status GP, with Will Buller grabbing fifth with a late lap for Carlin.

Evans ended the session down in sixth, 0.775s down on Vainio. Hockenheim pole-winner Daniel Abt (Lotus) was seventh, ahead of Tio Ellinas, Tamas Pal Kiss and Robert Visoiu.

Last weekend's wounded racers, who both required hospital check-ups after crashes at Hockenheim, were both back in action. Vicky Piria was 22nd fastest, but spun into the gravel at Turn 6 on her ninth lap, while Fabiano Machado was 20th.

Pos  Driver                  Team       Time       Gap
 1.  Aaro Vainio             Lotus      1m37.396s
 2.  Antonio Felix da Costa  Carlin     1m37.819s  + 0.423s
 3.  Conor Daly              Lotus      1m37.934s  + 0.538s
 4.  Marlon Stockinger       Status     1m37.973s  + 0.577s
 5.  Will Buller             Carlin     1m38.135s  + 0.739s
 6.  Mitch Evans             MW Arden   1m38.171s  + 0.775s
 7.  Daniel Abt              Lotus      1m38.235s  + 0.839s
 8.  Tio Ellinas             Manor      1m38.352s  + 0.956s
 9.  Tamas Pal Kiss          Atech CRS  1m38.393s  + 0.997s
10.  Robert Visoiu           Jenzer     1m38.397s  + 1.001s
11.  David Fumanelli         MW Arden   1m38.516s  + 1.120s
12.  Patric Niederhauser     Jenzer     1m38.517s  + 1.121s
13.  Lewis Williamson        Status     1m38.673s  + 1.277s
14.  Alex Brundle            Carlin     1m38.830s  + 1.434s
15.  Matias Laine            MW Arden   1m38.902s  + 1.506s
16.  Alex Fontana            Jenzer     1m39.208s  + 1.812s
17.  Giovanni Venturini      Trident    1m39.265s  + 1.869s
18.  Kevin Ceccon            Ocean      1m39.276s  + 1.880s
19.  Facu Regalia            Atech CRS  1m39.715s  + 2.319s
20.  Fabiano Machado         Manor      1m39.986s  + 2.590s
21.  Alice Powell            Status     1m40.657s  + 3.261s
22.  Vicky Piria             Trident    1m41.463s  + 4.067s
23.  Robert Cregan           Ocean      1m41.785s  + 4.389s
24.  Dmitry Suranovich       Manor      1m41.787s  + 4.391s
25.  Ethan Ringel            Atech CRS  1m41.981s  + 4.585s
26.  Carmen Jorda            Ocean      1m42.825s  + 5.429s