GP3 Drivers in Budapest for Final Test
GP3 Drivers Improve Each Day of the Final Test in Budapest
The 2017 GP3 Series season continued in Budapest for the fourth test. The drivers used this 2 day test to finalise preparations for the next round of the season, at the Red Bull Ring in Austria on 7-9 July.
This test followed the first round of the season in Barcelona which saw Leonardo receive a strong start to the Driver’s Championship and finished P2 in Race 1.
During the morning session on day 1 the pitlane went green at 10 am local time and all the cars fed onto the track to complete their installation lap. At the chequered flag Leonardo was P14 with a lap time of 1:33.694, Steijn was P18 after 22 laps with a lap time of 1:34.388 and Niko was P19 with a lap time of 1:34.609 after 20 laps. There was a two-hour break before the afternoon test started. At 3 pm local time the pitlane went green and the cars took to the track, Leonardo was leading the way in the opening stages then the session was halted after a car had stopped in turn 5. At the restart Niko was soon at the top of the timesheets before other drivers went quickest under menacing skies. As the chequered flag came down Leonardo was P11 with a lap time of 1:33.075, Steijn was P14 with a lap time of 1:33.301 and Niko was P16 with a lap time of 1:33.321.
Day two saw slightly windy conditions at 9 am local time, after an hour on track saw Russell reclaim the top spot leaving Leo battling for P2. The remainder of the session was trouble free and saw Leo finish P5 (1:32.204), Niko finishing P6 (1:32.223) and Steijn finishing P15 (1:32.598) all improving from day 1.
After a short break the pitlane went green for the afternoon session, Dorian Boccolacci remained in P1 for the start of the session, however after the first hour Niko improved on the time. A red flag came out as someone stopped in the entrance of the pitlane and at the restart Niko’s fastest time was beaten by three tenths of a second. Niko kept hold of P2 until the chequered flag in a lap time of 1:32.583. Leonardo was P5 (1:32.787) and Steijn was P8 (1:33.463).
The Budapest Test was good preparation for the next round in Austria starting 7 July.
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