Hulkenberg tops first Euro Series test
Nico Hulkenberg got his F3 Euro Series season off to a flying start by setting the fastest time on each day of the first pre-season test at Valencia over the weekend
The 20-year-old German begins the season as favourite for title in his second year with the ART Grand Prix team (formerly known as ASM).
"Being back in the car and being quick is nice," he said. "But the times here don't mean very much so I won't get carried away. I'll be happy when I'm on top in qualifying at Hockenheim."
He led his teammates Jules Bianchi and James Jakes on the first day, before his countryman Christian Vietoris set the second quickest time on Sunday for Mucke Motorsport.
Conditions were excellent throughout both days, with the temperature between 22 and 24 degrees, for the teams' first taste of the 2008-spec chassis.
Most tried out different set-ups throughout the first morning, worked on the cars in the garages during the afternoon, and did most of their running yesterday.
Hulkenberg finished up just 0.062 seconds faster than his fellow A1GP Team Germany race winner Vietoris, with French F3 rookie Jules Bianchi another tenth back in third.
Bianchi was pleased with his performance in the first test of the year: "I already knew the track from Formula Renault last year so I could just work on adapting my driving style.
"The sessions were good but finding the right line wasn't easy becaused the wind was quite strong."
There were a total of 29 cars at the test, including two from Carlin Motorsport - the most recent addition to the Euro Series grid. The British team ran confirmed signing Richard Philippe to sixth, and yet-to-be-announced Rodolfo Gonzalez to ninth.
The second pre-season test begins at Estoril on Thursday, ahead of the opening round at Hockenheim on April 12-13.
Combined times:
Pos Driver Team Car Time 1. Nico Hulkenberg ART Grand Prix D/M 1:28.405 2. Christian Vietoris Mucke Motorsport D/M 1:28.467 3. Jules Bianchi ART Grand Prix D/M 1:28.539 4. Mika Maki Mucke Motorsport D/M 1:28.657 5. Dani Clos Prema Powerteam D/M 1:28.952 6. Richard Philippe Carlin Motorsport D/M 1:29.010 7. James Jakes ART Grand Prix D/M 1:29.063 8. Koudai Tsukakosi Manor Motorsport D/M 1:29.106 9. Rodolfo Gonzalez Carlin Motorsport D/M 1:29.110 10. Kazuya Oshima Manor Motorsport D/M 1:29.117 11. Michael Klein Jo Zeller Racing D/M 1:29.121 12. Maxi Gotz RC Motorsport D/VW 1:29.167 13. Sam Bird Manor Motorsport D/M 1:29.203 14. Jean-Karl Vernay Red Bull Signature D/M 1:29.352 15. Erik Janis Mucke Motorsport D/M 1:29.360 16. Renger van der Zande Prema Powerteam D/M 1:29.375 17. Henkie Waldschmidt SG Formula D/M 1:29.420 18. Tom Dillman SG Formula D/M 1:29.613 19. Edoardo Mortara Signature-Plus D/VW 1:29.705 20. Jon Lancaster ART Grand Prix D/M 1:29.758 21. Niall Breen Manor Motorsport D/M 1:29.781 22. Martin Plowman RC Motorsport D/VW 1:29.818 23. Franck Mailleux Signature-Plus D/VW 1:29.936 24. Charlie Kimball Prema Powerteam D/M 1:29.975 25. Yann Clairay SG Formula D/M 1:29.996 26. Daniel Campos-Hull HBR Motorsport D/M 1:30.103 27. Jens Klingmann RC Motorsport D/VW 1:30.115 28. Stefano Coletti Red Bull Signature D/M 1:30.249 29. Basil Shaaban HBR Motorsport D/M 1:30.277
(D=Dallara, M=Mercedes, VW=Volkswagen)
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