Merhi tops final Euro Series test
Roberto Merhi played down suggestions that he could be a title prospect in his rookie season of F3 after topping the timesheet on the final day of the Euro Series test at Valencia today
The 17-year-old Formula Renault Eurocup graduate, who raced in the F3 Masters at Zolder and Macau Grand Prix last season, set a 1:26.989 lap during the morning session - more than quarter of a second faster than any of his 27 rivals managed.
Merhi was thrilled with his performance but is expecting things to be more difficult when the season beings at Hockenheim on May 17.
"Today could not have been a better way of ending two days of testing," he said. "Manor is carrying out stupendous development work and my adaptation to this single-seater is coming on rapidly.
"I know for a newcomer to have achieved this performance is out of the ordinary but, come the start of the season things will be much harder.
"For the time being, I certainly don't consider that I should be in the headlines as a title contender, although this is presenting itself to be a promising year."
Title favourite Jules Bianchi set the second quickest time for ART Grand Prix, ahead of Atte Mustonen who continued his impressive pre-season form for Motopark Academy in third.
Brendon Hartley was quickest of the Volkswagen entries in fourth place for Carlin Motorsport, with Valterri Bottas (ART) and Sam Bird (Mucke) completing the top six.
Pos Driver Team Car Time 1. Roberto Merhi Manor D/M 1:26.989 2. Jules Bianchi ART D/M 1:27.278 3. Atte Mustonen Motopark D/M 1:27.580 4. Brendon Hartley Carlin D/V 1:27.868 5. Valtteri Bottas ART D/M 1:27.929 6. Sam Bird Mucke D/M 1:28.048 7. Stefano Coletti Prema D/M 1:28.100 8. Cesar Ramos Manor D/M 1:28.149 9. Jon Lancaster SG D/M 1:28.155 10. Christian Vietoris Mucke D/M 1:28.163 11. Andrea Caldarelli SG D/M 1:28.179 12. Henkie Waldschmidt SG D/M 1:28.267 13. Christopher Zanella Motopark D/M 1:28.272 14. Pedro Ferreira Manor D/M 1:28.277 15. Marco Wittmann Mucke D/M 1:28.334 16. Jake Rosenzweig Carlin D/V 1:28.475 17. Alexander Sims Mucke D/M 1:28.604 18. Matteo Chinosi Prema D/M 1:28.631 19. Esteban Gutierrez ART D/M 1:28.671 20. Carlo van Dam Kolles & Heinz D/V 1:28.698 21. Mika Maki Signature D/V 1:28.794 22. Jean Karl Vernay Signature D/V 1:28.837 23. Kevin Mirocha HBR D/M 1:28.841 24. Johnny Cecotto HBR D/M 1:29.107 25. Tiago Geronimi Signature D/V 1:29.115 26. Jens Klingmann Signature D/V 1:29.286 27. Basil Shaaban Prema D/M 1:30.064 28. Adrien Tambay ART D/M 1:30.258
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