Auto GP Sonoma: Sergey Sirotkin leads first practice
Euronova Racing's Sergey Sirotkin led the opening Auto GP World Series free practice session at Sonoma, on the championship's maiden visit to the United States
Sirotkin recorded a fastest lap of 1m27.882s in the final minute of the half-hour session, having exchanged position at the top of the timing screens with 2012 champion Adrian Quaife-Hobbs throughout.
Quaife-Hobbs was the only other driver to break into the 1m27s, ending the morning second, just 0.104 seconds behind Sirotkin. Both men reported they had used worn sets of Kumhos.
Daniel de Jong briefly led the session at the halfway mark, before slipping to third. The Dutchman is the only Manor MP Motorsport driver in action this weekend, as regular 2012 team-mate Chris van der Drift is driving a McLaren in a clashing GT race.
Fourth-placed Pal Varhaug is defending his runner-up position in the drivers' standings in this final round of the season. The Norwegian holds a 10-point advantage over Sirotkin, with 48 on offer.
On his return to the series, Italian Giacomo Ricci took fifth for MLR 71. Compatriot, and former MLR 71 racer, Sergio Campana completed the top six on his debut with Zele Racing.
Team-mate and Curitiba victor Antonio Pizzonia ended the session in seventh.
Series newcomer Kotaru Sakurai was an impressive eighth, while Sonoma's other debutant Pippa Mann encountered difficulties with her driving position and propped up the classification.
Auto GP is using a different variant of the Sonoma circuit to that used by IndyCar. The key changes are a wider approach to Turn 7 and an extended approach to the Turn 11 hairpin.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Sergey Sirotkin Euronova 1m27.882s 2. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Super Nova 1m27.986s + 0.104s 3. Daniel de Jong Manor MP 1m28.325s + 0.443s 4. Pal Varhaug Virtuosi UK 1m28.386s + 0.504s 5. Giacomo Ricci MLR 71 1m28.627s + 0.745s 6. Sergio Campana Zele 1m28.828s + 0.946s 7. Antonio Pizzonia Zele 1m28.903s + 1.021s 8. Kotaro Sakurai Euronova 1m28.958s + 1.076s 9. Giancarlo Serenelli Ombra 1m29.579s + 1.697s 10. Maxim Snegirev Campos 1m30.377s + 2.495s 11. Francesco Dracone Virtuosi UK 1m30.786s + 2.904s 12. Michele la Rosa MLR 71 1m31.396s + 3.514s 13. Antonio Spavone Ombra 1m31.540s + 3.658s 14. Giuseppe Cipriani Campos 1m32.855s + 4.973s 15. Pippa Mann Campos 1m33.917s + 6.035s
Be part of the Autosport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments