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Abu Dhabi GP3 test: Kevin Ceccon leads opening day

Kevin Ceccon led the opening day of post-season GP3 testing in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, with Formula Renault Eurocup race winner Andrea Pizzitola best of the newcomers

Driving for the Jenzer team with which he contested the latter part of the 2014 season, Ceccon topped the first test session with a 1m55.501s lap before handing over to regular team-mate Matheo Tuscher for the afternoon.

European Formula 3 racer Ed Jones was second for Carlin in the first session, albeit six tenths down on Ceccon.

He only narrowly shaded McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award finalist and BRDC Formula 4 champion George Russell, who starred on a prize drive with Arden by taking third place.

Pizzitola was fourth in the first session, but took his ART car to the top later on, ahead of Mitch Gilbert and Euroformula Open frontrunner Alex Palou.

Artur Janosz, who beat Palou to second in Euroformula Open this year, completed the session two top six, behind Tuscher and Russell.

Last year's McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winner Matt Parry also made his GP3 debut in the test, setting top-10 times for Status in both sessions.

Another newcomer to impress was GT racer Christopher Mies. The 25-year-old German was seventh in the morning for Hilmer.

Morning session

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Kevin Ceccon Jenzer Motorsport 1m55.501s - 26
2 Ed Jones Carlin 1m56.165s 0.664s 24
3 George Russell Arden International 1m56.198s 0.697s 27
4 Andrea Pizzitola ART Grand Prix 1m56.220s 0.719s 25
5 Luca Ghiotto Trident 1m56.264s 0.763s 23
6 Patrick Kujala Arden International 1m56.309s 0.808s 18
7 Christopher Mies Hilmer Motorsport 1m56.474s 0.973s 32
8 Ralph Boschung Jenzer Motorsport 1m56.511s 1.010s 30
9 Mitch Gilbert Arden International 1m56.703s 1.202s 25
10 Matt Parry Status Grand Prix 1m56.705s 1.204s 26
11 Steijn Schothorst Koiranen GP 1m56.819s 1.318s 26
12 Antonio Fuoco Koiranen GP 1m56.973s 1.472s 20
13 Ryan Cullen Koiranen GP 1m56.993s 1.492s 16
14 Gustavo Menezes Carlin 1m57.043s 1.542s 30
15 Alex Palou Trident 1m57.176s 1.675s 25
16 Alfonso Celis Status Grand Prix 1m57.189s 1.688s 23
17 Raoul Hyman Jenzer Motorsport 1m57.316s 1.815s 22
18 Tatiana Calderon ART Grand Prix 1m57.325s 1.824s 28
19 Kang Ling Hilmer Motorsport 1m57.341s 1.840s 21
20 Seb Morris Status Grand Prix 1m57.670s 2.169s 19
21 Amaury Bonduel Trident 1m57.867s 2.366s 27
22 Matt Rao Carlin 1m58.265s 2.764s 24
23 Artur Janosz ART Grand Prix 1m58.557s 3.056s 20

Afternoon session

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Andrea Pizzitola ART Grand Prix 1m55.832s - 29
2 Mitch Gilbert Arden International 1m55.885s 0.053s 25
3 Alex Palou Trident 1m55.971s 0.139s 25
4 Matheo Tuscher Jenzer Motorsport 1m56.034s 0.202s 22
5 George Russell Arden International 1m56.078s 0.246s 23
6 Artur Janosz ART Grand Prix 1m56.258s 0.426s 23
7 Matt Parry Status Grand Prix 1m56.475s 0.643s 22
8 Alfonso Celis Status Grand Prix 1m56.491s 0.659s 25
9 Ryan Cullen Koiranen GP 1m56.517s 0.685s 20
10 Ralph Boschung Jenzer Motorsport 1m56.559s 0.727s 18
11 Gustavo Menezes Carlin 1m56.560s 0.728s 19
12 Luca Ghiotto Trident 1m56.570s 0.738s 16
13 Steijn Schothorst Koiranen GP 1m56.595s 0.763s 15
14 Ed Jones Carlin 1m56.684s 0.852s 18
15 Antonio Fuoco Koiranen GP 1m56.783s 0.951s 26
16 Seb Morris Status Grand Prix 1m56.846s 1.014s 19
17 Patrick Kujala Arden International 1m56.946s 1.114s 26
18 Raoul Hyman Jenzer Motorsport 1m56.989s 1.157s 30
19 Tatiana Calderon ART Grand Prix 1m57.068s 1.236s 22
20 Christopher Mies Hilmer Motorsport 1m57.404s 1.572s 28
21 Kang Ling Hilmer Motorsport 1m57.720s 1.888s 27
22 Amaury Bonduel Trident 1m59.153s 3.321s 19
23 Matt Rao Carlin 1m59.405s 3.573s 19


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