Monaco GP2: Arthur Pic fastest in free practice

The Frenchman's 1m20.556s lap - less than two seconds off the Formula 1 practice one pace as the track 'rubbered-in' - put him 0.219s clear of Racing Engineering driver Alexander Rossi, who led the early running.

F1 test drivers Pierre Gasly and Stoffel Vandoorne were third and fourth, with championship-leading McLaren protege Vandoorne never quite getting to the top of the times despite coming close.

Gasly had been quickest for a few moments between fast times from Ferrari junior Raffaele Marciello and Pic. Marciello ended up sixth, behind Sergio Canamasas.

Status driver Richie Stanaway led much of the 45-minute session, pulling a second clear of his rivals for a while, but he was edged back to seventh by the end.

Last year's Monaco Formula Renault 3.5 winner Norman Nato was 10th behind Andre Negrao and Rio Haryanto.

Having retired on the way to the grid for the Barcelona sprint race a fortnight ago, Mitch Evans began his Monaco weekend with similar misery.

His Russian Time entry ground to a halt at Massenet on his out-lap, causing a brief red flag.

The winner of that Barcelona race, Alex Lynn, was only 20th as he took to the Monte Carlo circuit for the first time.

The whole field managed to avoid the barriers in the session. Canamasas took a trip down the Sainte Devote escape road and Marco Sorensen had to reverse at Rascasse after outbraking himself, but the only man sidelined other than Evans was Daniel de Jong, who parked at the chicane with a mechanical issue.

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