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Gutierrez heads inaugural GP3 test

Formula 3 convert Esteban Gutierrez was fastest for ART on the first day of testing for the new GP3 Series at Paul Ricard

The Mexican edged out MW Arden's Michael Christensen by 0.037 seconds at the end of the day, with Pablo Sanchez Lopez third for Addax.

"Today was exciting because just looking at the car for a month without driving it was frustrating for me," said Gutierrez.

"Getting to know the car was our main goal of the day, and in the end it was also a good result for us. It is only the first day so we have to keep working.

"I had a good feeling with the car, and really enjoyed the high downforce - it is good for training for GP2. The feeling is also similar with paddle shifts. It is a really enjoyable car to drive."

Formula 2 race winners Kazim Vasiliauskas (Tech 1) and Robert Wickens (Status) completed the top five.

ART's Alexander Rossi had been quickest in the morning session, before slipping to seventh later on, behind Chilton's Max Chilton - one of several GP2, F2 and Formula 3 racers trying out the new series and providing feedback to teams.

GP3 technical boss Didier Perrin was pleased with how the day had unfolded.

"It is inevitable to get a bit nervous before the first test day of a new series," he said.

"However, after the first hour today I was already quite pleased with the way things were going, especially when each of the teams had at least one or two cars on track so quickly into the session.

"Plus, I saw at least six of the young drivers fighting for on track position and overtaking each other in the very first laps of the series' history - this is something I had never seen before."

Pos  Driver                Team       Time
 1.  Esteban Gutierrez     ART        1m20.949s
 2.  Michael Christensen   MW Arden   1m20.986s
 3.  Pablo Sanchez Lopez   Addax      1m21.283s
 4.  Kazim Vasiliauskas    Tech 1     1m21.402s
 5.  Robert Wickens        Status     1m21.644s
 6.  Max Chilton           Carlin     1m21.761s
 7.  Alexander Rossi       ART        1m21.818s
 8.  Nigel Melker          RSC Mucke  1m21.868s
 9.  Pal Varhaug           Jenzer     1m21.994s
10.  Luca Foresti          Carlin     1m22.021s
11.  Renger van der Zande  RSC Mucke  1m22.163s
12.  Nico Muller           Jenzer     1m22.188s
13.  Mirko Bortolotti      Addax      1m22.240s
14.  Rio Haryanto          Manor      1m22.259s
15.  Dean Stoneman         Tech 1     1m22.357s
16.  Leonardo Cordeiro     MW Arden   1m22.377s
17.  Alexander Simms       Atech CRS  1m22.542s
18.  Luiz Razia            Manor      1m22.645s
19.  James Jakes           Manor      1m22.653s
20.  Tobias Hegewald       RSC Mucke  1m22.719s
21.  Simon Trummer         Jenzer     1m23.395s
22.  Viktor Jensen         Atech CRS  1m23.585s
23.  Pedro Nunes           ART        1m24.257s
24.  Oliver Oakes          Addax      1m24.425s
25.  Daniel Morad          Status     1m24.555s
26.  Jim Pla               Atech CRS  1m24.740s
27.  Ivan Lukashevich      Status     1m25.594s
28.  Vittorio Ghirelli     Atech CRS  1m25.715s
29.  Adriano Buzaid        Carlin     1m28.317s
30.  Doru Sechelariu       Tech 1     1m31.996s
31.  Miki Monras           MW Arden   1m38.504s

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