Kari quickest again in second Abu Dhabi GP3 test day
Niko Kari was again fastest in the second day of GP3 post-season testing at Abu Dhabi, driving for new team MP Motorsport.
Niko Kari, MP Motorsport
GP3 Series Media Service
Kari's time of 1m54.733s was two tenths quicker than his pace-setting effort on Day 1, as the Finn remained the only driver going below the 1m55s barrier.
Like on Day 1, Kari, who was 10th in GP3 this year as a rookie and the only non-ART driver to win a feature race, set his benchmark time in the morning session, which he topped by four tenths.
Leonardo Pulcini was closest to him, and the Campos driver went on to top the afternoon running, but his 1m55.210s was not an improvement on his morning time.
The pair were followed by Trident duo Giuliano Alesi and Pedro Piquet, who were separated by one thousandth of a second, in the overall order.
The Brazilian became top rookie of the day, just ahead of ART's Callum Ilott, who was 0.023s slower.
Alessio Lorandi brought a third Trident into the top six, edging out Force India development driver Nikita Mazepin and Jehan Daruvala.
The top 10 was completed by David Beckmann, the top Jenzer car, and Jake Hughes.
There were three driver changes in the testing line-up from Thursday to Friday, with British Formula 3 frontrunner Ben Hingeley becoming the fastest of the three additions.
The Briton drove for Jenzer, replacing Job van Uitert.
Formula Renault driver Max Defourny replaced Gabriel Aubry, with the Frenchman taking over Tatiana Calderon's ART for Friday and Saturday, while Louis Gachot replaced Thiago Vivacqua at Campos.
Defourny and Gachot took the last two positions in the order, 19th and 20th.
Day 2 results
Pos. | Driver | Team | Morning | Afternoon |
1 | Niko Kari | MP Motorsport | 1:54.733 | 1:55.539 |
2 | Leonardo Pulcini | Campos Racing | 1:55.120 | 1:55.210 |
3 | Giuliano Alesi | Trident | 1:55.374 | 1:55.514 |
4 | Pedro Piquet | Trident | 1:55.375 | 1:55.706 |
5 | Callum Ilott | ART Grand Prix | 1:55.520 | 1:55.398 |
6 | Alessio Lorandi | Trident | 1:55.401 | 1:55.720 |
7 | Nikita Mazepin | ART Grand Prix | 1:56.341 | 1:55.457 |
8 | Jehan Daruvala | Arden International | 1:55.472 | 1:55.815 |
9 | David Beckmann | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:55.672 | 1:56.009 |
10 | Jake Hughes | ART Grand Prix | 1:55.743 | 1:59.202 |
11 | Ryan Tveter | Trident | 1:55.992 | 1:55.903 |
12 | Gabriel Aubry | ART Grand Prix | 1:55.985 | 1:56.091 |
13 | Leonard Hoogenboom | MP Motorsport | 1:55.994 | 1:56.167 |
14 | / Juan Manuel Correa | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:56.358 | 1:56.108 |
15 | Simo Laaksonen | Campos Racing | 1:56.171 | 1:56.135 |
16 | Will Palmer | Arden International | 1:56.301 | 1:56.439 |
17 | Benjamin Hingeley | Jenzer Motorsport | 1:56.814 | 1:56.313 |
18 | Ferdinand Habsburg | Arden International | 1:56.409 | 1:56.680 |
19 | Max Defourny | MP Motorsport | 1:56.505 | 1:56.662 |
20 | Louis Gachot | Campos Racing | 1:57.419 | 1:58.122 |
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