GP2 Testing  Pantano tops second day

Giorgio Pantano topped the timesheets on the second and final day of testing here at the Barcelona circuit in Spain on Wednesday, the experienced Italian driver recording a best time of 1:26.351 to set a new track record in the final test session before the launch of the GP2 Main Series 2008 season, that will take place next week in Le Castellet.

The afternoon session started thirty minutes earlier than originally scheduled and lasted for three and a half hours in order to make due for the shortened session in the morning.

Thirteen drivers overall posted times quicker than 1:27.000 despite the fact the session was interrupted by numerous red flags.

In the morning session it was Bruno Senna who set the fastest lap time with a 1:26.396, but the session was stopped a little ahead of schedule due to excessively windy conditions. Also joining the club of drivers under 1:27.000 were ART Grand Prix Romain Grosjean and Piquet Sports Pastor Maldonado who was followed by teammate Andreas Zuber with a 1:27.255.

Michael Conway unfortunately went off track at the beginning of the session in turn 4 and had to spend the rest of the morning in the garage while his car got fixed. He will be back on track this afternoon. Towards the end of the morning, the excessively windy conditions raised safety concerns about the trackside boards. The session was halted twenty minutes early so that repairs could be made.

The GP2 Main Series circus will meet next week in Paul Ricard on March 12th and 13th for the last testing days before the opening of the 2008 Championship which will kick off in Barcelona on April 26th.

1. Giorgio Pantano Racing Engineering 1:26.351 41
2. Vitaly Petrov Barwa International Campos Team 1:26.402 30
3. Romain Grosjean ART Grand Prix 1:26.455 41
4. Luca Filippi ART Grand Prix 1:26.472 34
5. Adrian Valles Fisichella Motor Sport International 1:26.575 47
6. Kamui Kobayashi Dams 1:26.580 45
7. Bruno Senna iSport International 1:26.760 40
8. Javier Villa Racing Engineering 1:26.760 39
9. Sébastien Buemi Truste Team Arden 1:26.765 60
10. Alvaro Parente Super Nova Racing 1:26.769 24
11. Yelmer Buurman Trust Team Arden 1:26.779 24
12. Davide Valsecchi Durango 1:26.905 54
13. Andreas Zuber Piquet Sports 1:26.938 44
14. Karun Chandhok iSport International 1:27.077 31
15. Pastor Maldonado Piquet Sports 1:27.176 30
16. Andy Soucek Fisichella Motor Sport International 1:27.220 40
17. Michael Conway Trident Racing 1:27.350 46
18. Ben Hanley Barwa International Campos Team 1:27.683 44
19. Milos Pavlovic BCN Competicion 1:27.685 31
20 Alberto Valerio Durango 1:27.622 17
21. Jérôme d’Ambrosio Dams 1:27.990 33
22. Diego Nunes DPR 1:28.024 49
23. Ho-Pin Tung Trident Racing 1:28.198 41
24. Christian Bakkerud Super Nova Racing 1:28.328 8
25 Paolo Nocera BCN Competicion 1:28.474 33
26 Michael Herck DPR 1:28.481 22