France top rookie driver practice

The 24-year-old topped both the first and second parts of the session - which is split into two halves with a ten-minute gap - setting his best lap of 1:47.893 in the first half part.

Reigning McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner Oliver Jarvis was second fastest for Team Great Britain, ahead of the Germany's Nico Hulkneberg. Team Czech Republic (Jarek Janis) and Team USA (Jonathan Summerton) completed the top five.

Mexico's Sergio Perez was sixth fastest ahead of Switzerland's Sebastien Buemi.

Of the leading rookies, only Hulkenberg is set to race this weekend, with Nicolas Lapierre returning to the Team France car and Robbie Kerr making his first appearance of the 2006/7 season for Team Great Britain.

The second session was twice interrupted by red flags. The first was caused by GP2 racer Xandi Negrao spinning the Team Brazil car on the approach to Turn 10, while the second, which brought a close to the session, was triggered by Team Ireland's John O'Hara spinning into the gravel at Turn 1.

O'Hara and Negrao ended the sessions well down the timesheets in 14th and 15th.

Several newcomers made their first A1 GP appearances in the session. German F3 Cup regular Renger van der Zande was 12th fastest, having joined Team Netherlands as reserve driver following the departure of ex-Formula One racer Jos Verstappen, with Team Australia's Ian Dyk ending up 16th.

For South Africa, Jennifer Murray became only the second female to drive in an official A1 GP session behind the wheel of the Team South Africa entry, finishing the session 16th.

Pos  Team            Driver            Time
 1.  France          Loic Duval        1:48.628        
 2.  Great Britain   Oliver Jarvis     1:49.003 + 0.375
 3.  Germany         N.Hulkenberg      1:49.671 + 1.043
 4.  Czech Republic  Jarek Janis       1:49.697 + 1.069
 5.  USA             J.Summerton       1:49.849 + 1.221
 6.  Mexico          Sergio Perez      1:50.090 + 1.462
 7.  Switzerland     Sebastien Buemi   1:50.121 + 1.493
 8.  Italy           A.P.Guidi         1:50.678 + 2.050
 9.  Canada          J.Hinchcliffe     1:51.352 + 2.724
10.  China           Cheng Congfu      1:51.463 + 2.835
11.  Indonesia       Moreno Soeprapto  1:52.026 + 3.398
12.  Netherlands     R.van der Zande   1:52.050 + 3.422
13.  Australia       Ian Dyk           1:52.398 + 3.770
14.  Ireland         John O'Hara       1:52.478 + 3.850
15.  Brazil          Alexandre Negrao  1:52.919 + 4.291
16.  South Africa    Jennifer Murray   1:53.068 + 4.440
17.  Greece          Nikos Zahos       1:53.223 + 4.595
18.  Lebanon         A.Khateeb         1:53.883 + 5.255
19.  Singapore       Denis Lian        1:55.187 + 6.559
20.  Pakistan        Nur Ali           1:56.316 + 7.688