Tom Dillmann (Photo: Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service)
GP2 Series race-winner Tom Dillmann and FIA Formula Two Champion Luciano Bacheta will test with brand new GP2 Series team Russian Time at this week’s pre-season test at Barcelona as they chase a spot on the 2013 grid.
Dillmann set the pace with another new team, Hilmer Motorsport, at the opening test at Jerez last week. He has a connection to the Russian Time team (who were announced on Monday morning as replacements for iSport) through its manager Timo Rumpfkeil, whom the French driver has previously worked with at Rumpfkeil’s F3 team Motopark.
Bacheta will be one of two GP2 debutants in the field, along with Conor Daly who will replace Dillmann at Hilmer. It had looked as though the American would continue in GP3 this year with ART Grand Prix after testing for the French team a fortnight ago but he will now line-up alongside Pal Varhaug at the test.
Elsewhere, Rodolfo Gonzalez has replaced Nathanael Berthon at Trident, with Formula Renault 3.5 champion Robin Frijns continuing in the second car. The other two unconfirmed seats at Caterham and Lazarus will again be occupied by Sergio Canamasas and Kevin Giovesi respectively.
Test entry list (confirmed season entries in bold):
DAMS: Marcus Ericsson/Stephane Richelmi
ART Grand Prix: James Calado/Daniel Abt
Arden International: Johnny Cecotto/Mitch Evans
Racing Engineering: Julian Leal/Fabio Leimer
Carlin: Felipe Nasr/Jolyon Palmer
Russian Time: Luciano Bacheta/Tom Dillmann
Caterham Racing: Sergio Canamasas/Ma Qing Huga
Barwa Addax Team: Jake Rosenzweig/Rio Haryanto
Rapax: Stefano Coletti/Simon Trummer
Trident Racing: Robin Frijns/Rodolfo Gonzalez
Hilmer Motorsport: Conor Daly/Pal Varhaug
Venezuela GP Lazarus: Rene Binder/Kevin Giovesi
MP Motorsport: Adrian Quaife-Hobbs/Daniel De Jong