Photo: Glenn Dunbar/GP2 Series Media Service
Stoffel Vandoorne continued to set the pace in GP2 as the post-season test got underway in Abu Dhabi.
After two days working with McLaren’s troublesome new Honda engine, Vandoorne returned to ART after topping practice, claiming a record fourth straight pole, winning the feature race and taking second in the standings at Yas Marina last weekend.
He was 0.379s quicker than fellow regular Mitch Evans, who remains with Russian Time after finishing fourth in the 2014 standings.
Red Bull Junior Pierre Gasly was third as he tests for DAMS after contesting the final three rounds of the season for Caterham, with fellow Frenchman Arthur Pic in fourth for Campos, who he has already re-signed with for 2015.
The Caterham team has completed its transformation into Status Grand Prix, and Rio Haryanto continued with the team to take P5. Julian Leal was sixth for the Carlin team that is keeping him on next year, while Andre Negrao was seventh with his usual Arden team.
Jazeman Jaafar took eighth for Campos, ahead of GP2 debutant Esteban Ocon at DAMS and fellow F3 graduate Nicholas Latifi at Racing Engineering.
Japanese F3 champion Nobuharu Matsushita propped up the times in the second ART car, which he will hand over to fellow Honda driver Koudai Tsukakoshi for the second session.
Rene Binder was absent, too unwell to test for Trident as planned.
Day 1 Session 1 results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
| 1 | Stoffel Vandoorne | ART Grand Prix | 1:49.445 | 34 | |
| 2 | Mitch Evans | Russian Time | 1:49.824 | 0.379 | 21 |
| 3 | Pierre Gasly | DAMS | 1:49.949 | 0.504 | 14 |
| 4 | Arthur Pic | Campos Racing | 1:50.044 | 0.599 | 28 |
| 5 | Rio Haryanto | Status Grand Prix | 1:50.192 | 0.747 | 27 |
| 6 | Julian Leal | Carlin | 1:50.240 | 0.795 | 20 |
| 7 | Andre Negrao | Arden International | 1:50.336 | 0.891 | 21 |
| 8 | Jazeman Jaafar | Campos Racing | 1:50.386 | 0.941 | 34 |
| 9 | Esteban Ocon | DAMS | 1:50.410 | 0.965 | 13 |
| 10 | Nicholas Latifi | Racing Engineering | 1:50.431 | 0.986 | 18 |
| 11 | Richie Stanaway | Status Grand Prix | 1:50.461 | 1.016 | 20 |
| 12 | Daniel Abt | Hilmer Motorsport | 1:50.476 | 1.031 | 27 |
| 13 | Jordan King | Arden International | 1:50.592 | 1.147 | 20 |
| 14 | Marvin Kirchhofer | Hilmer Motorsport | 1:50.903 | 1.458 | 20 |
| 15 | Nathanael Berthon | Venezuela GP Lazarus | 1:50.906 | 1.461 | 27 |
| 16 | Emil Bernstorff | Rapax | 1:51.054 | 1.609 | 30 |
| 17 | Artem Markelov | Russian Time | 1:51.133 | 1.688 | 21 |
| 18 | Norman Nato | Racing Engineering | 1:51.272 | 1.827 | 20 |
| 19 | Sergio Campana | Venezuela GP Lazarus | 1:51.501 | 2.056 | 20 |
| 20 | Daniel De Jong | MP Motorsport | 1:51.554 | 2.109 | 11 |
| 21 | Zoel Amberg | Trident | 1:51.630 | 2.185 | 26 |
| 22 | Luis Sa Silva | Carlin | 1:51.777 | 2.332 | 23 |
| 23 | Sandy Stuvik | Rapax | 1:52.035 | 2.590 | 24 |
| 24 | Marlon Stockinger | MP Motorsport | 1:52.069 | 2.624 | 23 |
| 25 | Nobuharu Matsushita | ART Grand Prix | 1:52.304 | 2.859 | 32 |