Rossi shows again why he will be America’s best F1 hope

It was business as usual for ART Grand Prix in a qualifying session to determine 2010 race numbers. 26 drivers took part in a qualifying shootout around noon today in Le Castellet to decide race number allocation for the season. The 30 minute session took place on a 3D configuration track between 11:45 and 12:15 local time. Final classification was decided by the fastest lap set out of the three drivers from each team. After a closely fought session it was American Alexander Rossi who took the top spot for ART Grand Prix. The American was also the first GP3 driver to break the 1m19s barrier, posting a time of 1:19.927. Rossi s teammate Esteban Gutierrez took second place. Robert Wickens ended the session in third spot claiming numbers 4,5,6 for his team Status GP. Numbers 7,8,9 have been allocated to Manor GP after James Jakes posted the fourth quickest time, and RSC Mucke Motorsport will run with numbers 10,11,12 after Renger van der Zande claimed fifth place for the team.

Complete race numbers have been allocated as follows:
ART Grand Prix 1,2,3
Status GP 4,5,6
Manor GP 7,8,9
RSC Mucke Motorsport 10,11,12
Carlin 14,15,16
Addax Team 17,18,19
MW Arden 20,21,22
Jenzer Motorsport 23,24,25
Tech 1 Racing 26,27,28
Atech CRS GP 29,30,31

Only drivers officially announced as contesting the 2010 season were eligible for race number allocation, so even though they took part in the session unsigned drivers Jake Rosenzweig for Carlin, Daniel Morad from Status GP and Felipe Guimaraes were not classified. Atech CRS GP drivers Oliver Oakes and Dean Stoneman, plus Tech 1 Racing s Daniel Juncadella did not take to the track. The allocated numbers will come into effect at the Barcelona test on the 13th-14th April.

Pos Driver Team Best time Laps
1 Alexander Rossi ART GRAND PRIX 1:20.784 13
2 Esteban Gutierrez ART GRAND PRIX 1:20.873 20
3 Robert Wickens STATUS GP 1:20.873 29
4 Felipe Guimaraes ADDAX TEAM 1:20.921 33
5 Renger Van Der Zande RSC MUCKE MOTORSPORT 1:20.929 17
6 Mirko Bortolotti ADDAX TEAM 1:21.009 34
7 James Jakes MANOR RACING 1:21.032 29
8 Dean Smith CARLIN 1:21.118 5
9 Pablo Sanchez Lopez ADDAX TEAM 1:21.151 29
10 Michael Christensen MW ARDEN 1:21.156 28
11 Daniel Morad STATUS GP 1:21.224 24
12 Simon Trummer JENZER MOTORSPORT 1:21.241 54
13 Dean Stoneman ATECH CRS GP 1:21.246 48
14 Nigel Melker RSC MUCKE MOTORSPORT 1:21.280 14
15 Pal Varhaug JENZER MOTORSPORT 1:21.452 40
16 Nico Muller JENZER MOTORSPORT 1:21.452 35
17 Oliver Oakes ATECH CRS GP 1:21.485 43
18 Josef Newgarden CARLIN 1:21.489 12
19 Doru Sechelariu TECH 1 RACING 1:21.611 11
20 Daniel Juncadella TECH 1 RACING 1:21.760 24
21 Stefano Coletti TECH 1 RACING 1:21.807 18
22 Miki Monras MW ARDEN 1:21.877 32
23 Jake Rosenzweig CARLIN 1:21.904 43
24 Tobias Hegewald RSC MUCKE MOTORSPORT 1:21.906 3
25 Pedro Nunes ART GRAND PRIX 1:21.915 11
26 Rio Haryanto MANOR RACING 1:21.960 37
27 Leonardo Cordeiro MW ARDEN 1:21.982 40
28 Patrick Reiterer ATECH CRS GP 1:22.066 32
29 Ivan Lukashevich STATUS GP 1:22.579 29