Calado sets the pace in Hungary

The sixth round of 2011 GP3 Series kicked off this morning with the first of two Friday practice sessions at the Hungarian circuit, with the British driver topping the times sheets. The session was interrupted by a red flag following a crash involving Luciano Bacheta. The RSC Mücke Motorsport driver was uninjured. The remaining of the session was drama-free and Calado claimed the top spot with a time of 1:39.025 over four tenths quicker than Addax Teams Tom Dillmann in second.

The field hit the track with Pirelli P Zero slick tires, and Marussia Manor Racing’s Rio Haryanto led the way early on in the damp and humid conditions ahead of Tech 1 Racing’s Aaro Vainio. The Finn went one better to claim P1, before RSC Mücke Motorsport’s Nigel Melker moved ahead. No sooner had the Dutchman taken control of the session, his teammate Bacheta was caught out in the damp conditions and barrel rolled over the barrier at turn 10. The 21-year-old emerged unharmed.

The session restarted with eight minutes left on the clock, and the field headed back on track for a final push to take the top spot. Melker’s time of 1:39.730 meant he stayed top for the final few minutes of the session ahead of Marussia Manor Racing’s Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and teammate Michael Christensen. Lotus ART’s Valtteri Bottas and Addax’ Tom Dillmann moved up into the top three, and as the session came to a close it looked like Melker would hold on to P1.

However, after the checkered flag dropped Lewis Williamson was first to move to the top of the timesheet closely followed by Dillmann, until Calado’s last-gasp lap moved him ahead of the Frenchman. Williamson settled for third, Melker fourth and Quaife-Hobbs fifth.

Next up for GP3 is practice 2 later today at 16:50 local time.

Practice 1 times:

POS NO DRIVER NAT TEAM TIME LAPS GAP
1 3 J. CALADO GBR Lotus ART 1:39.025 6 0.000s
2 23 T. DILLMANN FRA Addax Team 1:39.460 5 0.435
3 28 L. WILLIAMSON GBR MW Arden 1:39.481 4 0.456
4 31 N. MELKER NED RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:39.730 7 0.705
5 10 A. QUAIFE-HOBBS GBR Marussia Manor Racing 1:39.822 10 0.797
6 25 D. SMITH GBR Addax Team 1:39.979 5 0.954
7 17 A. VAINIO FIN Tech 1 Racing 1:40.046 11 1.021
8 1 P. NUNES BRA Lotus ART 1:40.052 5 1.027
9 30 M. CHRISTENSEN DEN RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:40.072 9 1.047
10 9 V. GHIRELLI ITA Jenzer Motorsport 1:40.116 9 1.091
11 26 M. EVANS NZL MW Arden 1:40.201 4 1.176
12 2 V. BOTTAS FIN Lotus ART 1:40.262 4 1.237
13 11 R. HARYANTO INA Marussia Manor Racing 1:40.269 11 1.244
14 22 Z. AMBERG SUI Atech CRS GP 1:40.278 10 1.253
15 24 G. CHAVES COL Addax Team 1:40.419 5 1.394
16 12 M. LAINE FIN Marussia Manor Racing 1:40.483 8 1.458
17 14 c. DALY USA Carlin 1:40.722 5 1.697
18 15 C. MACLEOD USA Carlin 1:40.826 10 1.801
19 7 N. MULLER SUI Jenzer Motorsport 1:40.832 8 1.807
20 8 M. ZIMIN RUS Jenzer Motorsport 1:40.934 7 1.909
21 5 A. FELIX DA COSTA POR Status Grand Prix 1:41.222 4 2.197
22 6 I. LUKASHEVICH RUS Status Grand Prix 1:41.336 11 2.311
23 20 M. STOCKINGER PHI Atech CRS GP 1:41.491 9 2.466
24 16 L. CORDEIRO BRA Carlin 1:41.723 5 2.698
25 19 T. PAL KISS HUN Tech 1 Racing 1:41.855 10 2.83
26 4 A. SIMS GBR Status Grand Prix 1:43.779 4 4.754
27 21 N. YELLOLY GBR Atech CRS GP 1:43.856 4 4.831
28 27 S. TRUMMER SUI MW Arden 1:44.444 4 5.419
29 18 T. HYLKEMA NED Tech 1 Racing 1:44.873 8 5.848
30 29 L. BACHETA GBR RSC Mucke Motorsport 1:45.180 3 6.155

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