Gutierrez leads Masters practice

Reigning Formula BMW Europe champion Gutierrez leapt to the top of the timesheet in the final minute of the half-hour session for reigning Euro Series champion and recent Masters dominator ART. His Dallara-Mercedes' 1m32.354s best out-did his reigning Formula Renault Eurocup champion team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who set a similarly late best time, by just 0.055 seconds.

"It was quite a good session, but my focus was to learn the circuit because it's my first time here," said Gutierrez.

"The circuit is quite challenging, with a lot of fast corners, so I just tried to stay out the whole time and learn.

"I am not confident in this result because it is only practice, but I can still find some time in the details of the car and my confidence. I want to win the event and this is a good start."

F3 veteran Sam Bird (Mucke) set the third fastest time to make him the top Briton in free practice. He also set his best lap late, and was just 0.139s shy of the pace.

Euro Series race winner Jean Carl Vernay (Signature) was the quickest Volkswagen runner in fourth, while the winner of the Euro Series' season opening race at Hockenheim, Stefano Coletti (Prema Powerteam), was fifth.

Reigning Master of Formula 3 Jules Bianchi (ART) rounded out the top six, four tenths shy of his pace-setting team-mate and just 0.004s clear of Dutch home hero Renger van der Zande (Hitech), who has previous Euro Series experience and was the top British series runner in seventh.

Reigning McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner Alexander Sims (Mucke) set the ninth fastest time, 0.268s clear of British F3 championship leader Daniel Ricciardo (Carlin), who was 12th fastest. Less than a second covered the top 13 drivers.

Pos  Driver                 Team       Car  Time       Gap
 1.  Esteban Gutierrez      ART        D/M  1m32.354s
 2.  Valtteri Bottas        ART        D/M  1m32.409s  + 0.055s
 3.  Sam Bird               Mucke      D/M  1m32.493s  + 0.139s
 4.  Jean-Karl Vernay       Signature  D/V  1m32.598s  + 0.244s
 5.  Stefano Coletti        Prema      D/M  1m32.660s  + 0.306s
 6.  Jules Bianchi          ART        D/M  1m32.755s  + 0.401s
 7.  Renger van der Zande   Hitech     D/M  1m32.759s  + 0.405s
 8.  Christian Vietoris     Mucke      D/M  1m32.778s  + 0.424s
 9.  Alexander Sims         Mucke      D/M  1m32.918s  + 0.564s
10.  Adrien Tambay          ART        D/M  1m33.112s  + 0.758s
11.  Henkie Waldschmidt     SG         D/M  1m33.170s  + 0.816s
12.  Daniel Ricciardo       Carlin     D/V  1m33.186s  + 0.832s
13.  Basil Shaaban          Prema      D/M  1m33.309s  + 0.955s
14.  Atte Mustonen          Motopark   D/M  1m33.377s  + 1.023s
15.  Mika Maki              Signature  D/V  1m33.564s  + 1.210s
16.  Roberto Merhi          Manor      D/M  1m33.690s  + 1.336s
17.  Carlos Huertas         Double R   D/M  1m33.758s  + 1.404s
18.  Andrea Caldarelli      SG         D/M  1m33.769s  + 1.415s
19.  Marco Wittmann         Mucke      D/M  1m33.792s  + 1.438s
20.  Matteo Chinosi         Prema      D/M  1m33.865s  + 1.511s
21.  Tiago Geronimi         Signature  D/V  1m33.928s  + 1.574s
22.  Max Chilton            Carlin     D/V  1m34.120s  + 1.766s
23.  Jake Rosenzweig        Carlin     D/V  1m34.141s  + 1.787s
24.  Laurens Vanthoor       Carlin     D/V  1m34.186s  + 1.832s
25.  Daniel Zampieri        BVM        D/H  1m34.272s  + 1.918s
26.  Henry Arundel          Carlin     D/V  1m34.466s  + 2.112s
27.  Victor Garcia          Fortec     D/M  1m34.529s  + 2.175s
28.  Christopher Zanella    Motopark   D/M  1m34.553s  + 2.199s
29.  Pedro Nunes            Manor      D/M  1m34.630s  + 2.276s
30.  Francesco Castellacci  Manor      D/M  1m34.728s  + 2.374s
31.  Walter Grubmuller      Hitech     D/M  1m34.850s  + 2.496s
32.  Daisuke Nakajima       Double R   D/M  1m34.895s  + 2.541s
33.  Riki Christodoulou     Fortec     D/M  1m35.500s  + 3.146s
34.  Alexandre Marsoin      SG         D/M  1m35.555s  + 3.201s
35.  Cesar Ramos            Manor      D/M  1m36.573s  + 4.219s
36.  Samuele Buttarelli     Carlin     D/V  -