Davide Valsecchi fastest for DAMS in GP2 practice in Bahrain
Davide Valsecchi set the pace in free practice ahead of qualifying for the second race weekend of the GP2 Series season at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain
Valsecchi, who somersaulted out of the sprint race at the previous event at Sepang, lapped his DAMS machine in 1m41.417s. His time was 0.671 seconds faster than Max Chilton's Carlin machine, which lapped in 1m42.088s.
In hot conditions, with the air temperature topping 30C, it was reigning British Formula 3 champion Felipe Nasr who set the early pace, a couple of tenths ahead of DAMS team-mate Valsecchi. Addax's Johnny Cecotto Jr then hit the front before Valsecchi set his never-to-be-beaten lap, which was eight tenths clear of the opposition at the time.
Cecotto ended the session third on 1m42.294s, ahead of Nasr's fourth-placed 1m42.320s. Points leader Luiz Razia (Arden) was fifth fastest on 1m42.390s, but after setting his time he wandered into the path of a flat-out Nasr - immediately waving to apologise for almost causing a high-speed accident. The stewards will no doubt want a word with him after the session; Nasr was livid.
Fabio Leimer was sixth quickest for Racing Engineering, ahead of Lotus duo Esteban Gutierrez - who had a number of off-track adventures - and Sepang sprint race winner James Calado.
Series returnee Dani Clos, who replaces Josef Kral at Addax this weekend, was ninth fastest, 1.5s off the pace.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Davide Valsecchi DAMS 1m41.417s 2. Max Chilton Carlin 1m42.088s + 0.671s 3. Johnny Cecotto Addax 1m42.294s + 0.877s 4. Felipe Nasr DAMS 1m42.320s + 0.903s 5. Luiz Razia Arden 1m42.390s + 0.973s 6. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering 1m42.411s + 0.994s 7. Esteban Gutierrez Lotus 1m42.649s + 1.232s 8. James Calado Lotus 1m42.853s + 1.436s 9. Dani Clos Addax 1m42.918s + 1.501s 10. Fabio Onidi Coloni 1m42.963s + 1.546s 11. Marcus Ericsson iSport 1m43.047s + 1.630s 12. Julian Leal Trident 1m43.082s + 1.665s 13. Nathanael Berthon Racing Engineering 1m43.139s + 1.722s 14. Stefano Coletti Coloni 1m43.235s + 1.818s 15. Rio Haryanto Carlin 1m43.289s + 1.872s 16. Simon Trummer Arden 1m43.377s + 1.960s 17. Giedo van der Garde Caterham 1m43.470s + 2.053s 18. Stephane Richelmi Trident 1m43.485s + 2.068s 19. Fabrizio Crestani Lazarus 1m43.532s + 2.115s 20. Jolyon Palmer iSport 1m43.542s + 2.125s 21. Rodolfo Gonzalez Caterham 1m43.726s + 2.309s 22. Brendon Hartley Ocean 1m43.754s + 2.337s 23. Nigel Melker Ocean 1m43.974s + 2.557s 24. Tom Dillmann Rapax 1m44.112s + 2.685s 25. Ricardo Teixeira Rapax 1m44.137s + 2.720s 26. Giancarlo Serenelli Lazarus 1m44.697s + 3.280s
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