Home Formula 2 Palmer sets early pace around Catalunya

Palmer sets early pace around Catalunya

by Valentin Khorounzhiy
Photo: Sam Bloxham / GP2 Series

Photo: Sam Bloxham / GP2 Series

GP2 championship leader Jolyon Palmer was quickest in practice for second round of the season at Catalunya, leading nearest rivals Felipe Nasr and Stephane Richelmi by over two tenths.

The Brit set his best time early into the 45-minute session and would be untroubled at the top until the end of practice.

Nasr and Richelmi opted for the same strategy, locking out the top three at the start of the session and keeping position for its remainder.

Russian Time’s Mitch Evans was fourth, while Daniel de Jong of MP Motorsport was among the few drivers to break into the top ten in the closing minutes of the session, having secured fifth place.

McLaren junior Stoffel Vandoorne took sixth, ahead of Hilmer’s Daniel Abt and Caterham Racing’s Rio Haryanto.

Series returnees Tom Dillmann and Sergio Canamasas completed the top ten.

Practice results
Pos. Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Jolyon Palmer DAMS 1:30.448 19
2 Felipe Nasr Carlin 1:30.651 0.203 15
3 Stephane Richelmi DAMS 1:30.652 0.204 17
4 Mitch Evans Russian Time 1:30.892 0.444 17
5 Daniel de Jong MP Motorsport 1:30.951 0.503 15
6 Stoffel Vandoorne ART Grand Prix 1:31.460 1.012 20
7 Daniel Abt Hilmer Motorsport 1:31.508 1.060 17
8 Rio Haryanto EQ8 Caterham Racing 1:31.510 1.062 18
9 Tom Dillmann Arden International 1:31.524 1.076 15
10 Sergio Canamasas Trident 1:31.650 1.202 16
11 Stefano Coletti Racing Engineering 1:31.657 1.209 14
12 Nathanael Berthon Venezuela GP Lazarus 1:31.666 1.218 16
13 Johnny Cecotto Trident 1:31.813 1.365 19
14 Arthur Pic Campos Racing 1:31.854 1.406 16
15 Conor Daly Venezuela GP Lazarus 1:31.901 1.453 7
16 Tio Ellinas MP Motorsport 1:31.905 1.457 19
17 Kimiya Sato Campos Racing 1:31.912 1.464 17
18 Simon Trummer Rapax 1:32.087 1.639 16
19 Julian Leal Carlin 1:32.128 1.680 18
20 Alexander Rossi EQ8 Caterham Racing 1:32.159 1.711 19
21 Facu Regalia Hilmer Motorsport 1:32.398 1.950 18
22 Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Rapax 1:32.560 2.112 14
23 Rene Binder Arden International 1:32.566 2.118 17
24 Raffaele Marciello Racing Engineering 1:32.640 2.192 17
25 Artem Markelov Russian Time 1:32.784 2.336 16
26 Takuya Izawa ART Grand Prix 1:32.791 2.343 18