Photo: Alastair Staley/GP3 Series Media Service
Carlos Sainz Jr was again the man to beat on the second day of GP3 Series pre-season testing at Estoril in Portugal.
After posting the fastest time on Wednesday, the Red Bull protege continued his strong form in the new second generation GP3 car with another unbeatable lap of 1m27.654s in the closing stages of the afternoon session.
The MW Arden driver?s time was actually slower than his benchmark from the first day, but he did finish up nearly three tenths of a second clear of Giovanni Venturini of Trident Racing and Marussia Manor Racing?s Tio Ellinas.
Conor Daly was fourth for ART Grand Prix ahead of Sainz?s teammate Daniil Kvyat, Koiranen GP?s Kevin Korjus and Jenzer Motorsport man Alex Fontana. David Fumanelli (Trident), Jack Harvey and Facu Regalia (both ART Grand Prix) rounded out the top ten.
Fumanelli had earlier topped the slower morning session, which began on a wet track, ahead of Jenzer drivers Patric Niederhauser and Fontana. Lewis Williamson was fourth for newcomers Bamboo Engineering before handing over his car to Ryan Cullen for the afternoon. Another change midway during the day was Melville McKee replacing Adderly Fong at Status Grand Prix.
Williamson will return to the Bamboo hotseat for the final day of running on Friday, with the only other change coming at Marussia Manor where double Toyota Racing Series champion Nick Cassidy comes in for Ellians.
Morning session????????
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
| 1. | David Fumanelli | Trident | 1:29.428 | 28 | |
| 2. | Patric Niederhauser | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:29.582 | 0.154 | 31 |
| 3. | Alex Fontana | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:29.941 | 0.513 | 34 |
| 4. | Lewis Williamson | Bamboo Engineering | 1:30.408 | 0.980 | 31 |
| 5. | Daniil Kvyat | MW Arden | 1:30.504 | 1.076 | 18 |
| 6. | Aaro Vainio | Koiranen GP | 1:30.568 | 1.140 | 26 |
| 7. | Tio Ellinas | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:30.626 | 1.198 | 27 |
| 8. | Conor Daly | ART Grand Prix | 1:30.946 | 1.518 | 32 |
| 9. | Adderly Fong | Status Grand Prix | 1:30.987 | 1.559 | 36 |
| 10. | Jack Harvey | ART Grand Prix | 1:31.090 | 1.662 | 35 |
| 11. | Ethan Ringel | Bamboo Engineering | 1:31.097 | 1.669 | 18 |
| 12. | Facu Regalia | ART Grand Prix | 1:31.162 | 1.734 | 32 |
| 13. | Samin Gomez | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:31.409 | 1.981 | 31 |
| 14. | Carlos Sainz Jr | MW Arden | 1:31.442 | 2.014 | 15 |
| 15. | Nick Yelloly | Carlin | 1:31.516 | 2.088 | 24 |
| 16. | Patrick Kujala | Koiranen GP | 1:32.296 | 2.868 | 20 |
| 17. | Vicky Piria | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:32.318 | 2.890 | 22 |
| 18. | Giovanni Venturini | Trident | 1:32.483 | 3.055 | 40 |
| 19. | Emanuele Zonzini | Trident | 1:32.640 | 3.212 | 24 |
| 20. | Luis Sa Silva | Carlin | 1:32.865 | 3.437 | 31 |
| 21. | Dino Zamparelli | Marussia Manor Racing | 1.33.099 | 3.671 | 28 |
| 22. | Roberto La Rocca | Bamboo Engineering | 1:33.493 | 4.065 | 19 |
| 23. | Eric Lichtenstein | Carlin | 1:34.553 | 5.125 | 41 |
| 24. | Robert Visoiu | MW Arden | 1:36.734 | 7.306 | 13 |
| 25. | Josh Webster | Status Grand Prix | 1:41.061 | 11.633 | 4 |
| 26. | Kevin Korjus | Koiranen GP | 1:43.296 | 13.868 | 5 |
| 27. | Jimmy Eriksson | Status Grand Prix | 1:43.335 | 13.907 | 25 |
Afternoon session
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
| 1. | Carlos Sainz Jr | MW Arden | 1:27.654 | 31 | |
| 2. | Giovanni Venturini | Trident | 1:27.939 | 0.285 | 26 |
| 3. | Tio Ellinas | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:27.971 | 0.317 | 40 |
| 4. | Conor Daly | ART Grand Prix | 1:28.026 | 0.372 | 32 |
| 5. | Daniil Kvyat | MW Arden | 1:28.071 | 0.417 | 34 |
| 6. | Kevin Korjus | Koiranen GP | 1:28.151 | 0.497 | 29 |
| 7. | Alex Fontana | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:28.156 | 0.502 | 26 |
| 8. | David Fumanelli | Trident | 1:28.261 | 0.607 | 27 |
| 9. | Jack Harvey | ART Grand Prix | 1:28.517 | 0.863 | 22 |
| 10. | Facu Regalia | ART Grand Prix | 1:28.722 | 1.068 | 28 |
| 11. | Patrick Kujala | Koiranen GP | 1:28.729 | 1.075 | 27 |
| 12. | Nick Yelloly | Carlin | 1:28.734 | 1.080 | 29 |
| 13. | Emanuele Zonzini | Trident | 1:28.787 | 1.133 | 37 |
| 14. | Dino Zamparelli | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:29.045 | 1.391 | 32 |
| 15. | Aaro Vainio | ART Grand Prix | 1:29.191 | 1.537 | 26 |
| 16. | Robert Visoiu | MW Arden | 1:29.342 | 1.688 | 22 |
| 17. | Samin Gomez | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:29.556 | 1.902 | 35 |
| 18. | Roberto La Rocca | Bamboo Engineering | 1:29.570 | 1.916 | 26 |
| 19. | Jimmy Eriksson | Status Grand Prix | 1:29.574 | 1.920 | 34 |
| 20. | Josh Webster | Status Grand Prix | 1:29.640 | 1.986 | 34 |
| 21. | Ethan Ringel | Bamboo Engineering | 1:29.748 | 2.094 | 22 |
| 22. | Eric Lichtenstein | Carlin | 1:29.768 | 2.114 | 40 |
| 23. | Patric Niederhauser | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:29.808 | 2.154 | 32 |
| 24. | Melville McKee | Status Grand Prix | 1:30.241 | 2.587 | 43 |
| 25. | Vicky Piria | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:30.383 | 2.729 | 33 |
| 26. | Luis Sa Silva | Carlin | 1:30.425 | 2.771 | 33 |
| 27. | Ryan Cullen | Bamboo Engineering | 1:31.347 | 3.693 | 33 |