Pic quickest in Jerez test

The French Tech 1 driver's 1:29.859 edged out USR's new signing Miguel Molina by 0.17s in the morning session.

Pic's expected teammate, former GP2 Asia racer Frankie Provenzano, was among several absentees as just 17 cars took to the track. Provenzano was unable to drive after reportedly being ill.

Like Molina, Briton James Walker settled into his new environment swiftly, finishing third fastest in a solitary P1 Motorsport machine.

Embarking on his third season in the category, Walker continued the strong form on show in initial test outings with P1 Motorsport at the conclusion of 2008.

Joan Villadelprat's Epsilon Euskadi team fielded series returnee Adrian Valles, who ended the morning session one thousandth of a second shy of Walker's best.

Valles last competed in World Series in 2005 for Pons Racing, where he was involved in a title fight with current BMW Formula One driver Robert Kubica.

Reigning Formula Master champion Chris van der Drift appeared in the second Epsilon Euskadi entry, and managed to record the tenth fastest time.

Carlin Motorsport's pairing of British F3 champion Jamie Alguersuari and Oliver Turvey were top rookies in fifth and sixth. Of the other newcomers, Italian F3 runner-up Edoardo Piscopo was 11th with Prema Powerteam, after previously sampling Draco's World Series car at Valencia last winter.

RC Motorsport, KTR, and Interwetten have decided to sit out the two days of running, but are expected to resume activities at the forthcoming test at Valencia on March 14th and 15th.