Robin Frijns sets the pace in opening practice

Hilmer Motorsport driver quickest at the Nurburgring

By Franck Drui

5 July 2013 - 13:15
Robin Frijns sets the pace in opening

Hilmer Motorsport resumed their display of speed in this morning’s free practice at the Nurburgring: rookie and Barcelona race winner Robin Frijns topped the session with a laptime of 1:39.838, one tenth quicker than Sam Bird. Rookie Mitch Evans completed the top three.

The session opened under grey skies but on a dry track. The twenty-six cars fed to the track on Medium Pirelli tyres as soon as the lights turned green. The times tumbled quickly until Series leader Stefano Coletti set the early pace in a 1:40.340, six tenths of a second quicker than closest rival James Calado. But Frijns was on a mission this morning and topped the timesheet after he found some extra pace to better the Monegasque’s laptime by nine hundredths. Tom Dillmann moved up to third, but his teammate Bird was the first man to break under the 1m40s barrier. The Brit set the first two sectors in purple and improved in the third sector to claim the top spot with a laptime of 1:39.962.

Just before the session hit the hallway mark, Frijns put his head down and edged Bird out of the top improving the Brit’s laptime by one tenth of a second. The Dutchman made his way back to the pits along with most of the field. Fabio Leimer moved up to P3 just before returning to the pits as well. Stéphane Richelmi was also on a flyer with a quickest first sector and an improved second sector, but the DAMS man rejoined the pits before completing his lap. With most of the drivers back into the pits, Evans enjoyed a clear track to improve his personal best and claim third spot.

The final minutes of the session did not see any changes at the top of the standings and was trouble-free except for a small scare from Calado who ran a bit too wide, but managed to rejoin the track safely. At the chequered flag, Frijns led the pack ahead of Bird, Evans, Leimer, Coletti, Calado, Jolyon Palmer, Dillmann, Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and Rene Binder.

The qualifying session will take place at 15.55 (local time). No doubt that teams and drivers will give the Super Soft tyres a spin to try and claim the pole position.

PosDriverTeamTimeLaps
1. Robin Frijns Hilmer Motorsport 1:39.838 14
2. Sam Bird RUSSIAN TIME 1:39.962 13
3. Mitch Evans Arden International 1:40.165 12
4. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering 1:40.304 12
5. Stefano Coletti Rapax 1:40.340 13
6. James Calado ART Grand Prix 1:40.425 13
7. Jolyon Palmer Carlin 1:40.457 13
8. Tom Dillmann RUSSIAN TIME 1:40.509 13
9. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs MP Motorsport 1:40.533 13
10. Rene Binder Venezuela GP Lazarus 1:40.652 14
11. Marcus Ericsson DAMS 1:40.782 14
12. Felipe Nasr Carlin 1:40.797 13
13. Johnny Cecotto Arden International 1:40.813 15
14. Stéphane Richelmi DAMS 1:40.830 14
15. Kevin Ceccon Trident Racing 1:40.883 13
16. Julian Leal Racing Engineering 1:40.941 12
17. Nathanaël Berthon Trident Racing 1:40.949 14
18. Alexander Rossi EQ8 Caterham Racing 1:40.951 12
19. Sergio Canamasas EQ8 Caterham Racing 1:40.982 13
20. Simon Trummer Rapax 1:41.096 15
21. Rio Haryanto Barwa Addax Team 1:41.230 13
22. Daniel De Jong MP Motorsport 1:41.356 13
23. Fabrizui Crestani Venezuela GP Lazarus 1:41.500 14
24. Jon Lancaster Hilmer Motorsport 1:41.709 14
25. Jake Rosenzweig Barwa Addax Team 1:41.805 12
26. Daniel Abt ART Grand Prix 1:42.324 12

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