Photo: Sam Bloxham/GP3 Series Media Service
Richie Stanaway set the pace in his first race weekend session in a single-seater for 23 months in GP3 practice ahead of the season opener at Barcelona.
The New Zealander, returning to single-seaters after suffering a back injury in a Formula Renault 3.5 race at Spa in June 2012, moved into top spot with about five minutes remaining.
Marvin Kirchhofer had led the way for much of the session ahead of fellow rookie Santiago Urrutia before quicker laps late on from Stanaway, Roman de Beer and Luis Sa Silva.
Kirchhofer and Urrutia ended up fourth and fifth respectively ahead of Stanaway’s Status team-mate Nick Yelloly and fellow pre-season quick man Alex Lynn.
Kirchhofer’s ART team-mates Dino Zamparelli and Alex Fontana were eighth and ninth, with Jimmy Eriksson completing the top ten for Koiranen.
Beitske Visser was 20th in her first ever drive in a GP3 car, 1.5 seconds off the pace. She stopped on track at the end of a difficult session for debutants Hilmer Motorsport. Of their other drivers, Nelson Mason went off into the gravel early on and Ivan Taranov caused a red flag with a spin, but was able to get going again.
Practice times
| Pos | Driver? | Team | Time? | Gap | Laps? |
| 1 | Richie Stanaway | Status Grand Prix | 1:36.357 | 17 | |
| 2 | Roman de Beer | Trident | 1:36.686 | 0.329 | 15 |
| 3 | Luis Sa Silva | Carlin | 1:36.789 | 0.432 | 14 |
| 4 | Marvin Kirchhofer | ART Grand Prix | 1:36.817 | 0.460 | 13 |
| 5 | Santiago Urrutia | Koiranen GP | 1:36.850 | 0.493 | 13 |
| 6 | Nick Yelloly | Status Grand Prix | 1:36.886 | 0.529 | 18 |
| 7 | Alex Lynn | Carlin | 1:36.950 | 0.593 | 14 |
| 8 | Dino Zamparelli | ART Grand Prix | 1:36.987 | 0.630 | 15 |
| 9 | Alex Fontana | ART Grand Prix | 1:37.027 | 0.670 | 14 |
| 10 | Jimmy Eriksson | Koiranen GP | 1:37.029 | 0.672 | 14 |
| 11 | Emil Bernstorff | Carlin | 1:37.066 | 0.709 | 15 |
| 12 | Matheo Tuscher | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:37.095 | 0.738 | 15 |
| 13 | Robert Visoiu | Arden International | 1:37.169 | 0.812 | 15 |
| 14 | Adderly Fong | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:37.403 | 1.046 | 15 |
| 15 | Pal Varhaug | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:37.410 | 1.053 | 16 |
| 16 | Patrick Kujala | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:37.446 | 1.089 | 16 |
| 17 | Dean Stoneman | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:37.528 | 1.171 | 14 |
| 18 | Victor Carbone | Trident | 1:37.646 | 1.289 | 16 |
| 19 | Patric Niederhauser | Arden International | 1:37.818 | 1.461 | 16 |
| 20 | Beitske Visser | Hilmer Motorsport | 1:37.872 | 1.515 | 17 |
| 21 | Jann Mardenborough | Arden International | 1:37.886 | 1.529 | 18 |
| 22 | Alfonso Celis | Status Grand Prix | 1:37.950 | 1.593 | 13 |
| 23 | Denis Nagulin | Trident | 1:38.344 | 1.987 | 18 |
| 24 | Ryan Cullen | Marussia Manor Racing | 1:38.406 | 2.049 | 16 |
| 25 | Ivan Taranov | Hilmer Motorsport | 1:38.858 | 2.501 | 16 |
| 26 | Nelson Mason | Hilmer Motorsport | 1:39.336 | 2.979 | 7 |
| 27 | Carmen Jorda | Koiranen GP | 1:40.239 | 3.882 | 13 |