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Ceccon leads Jones and Russell as GP3 test begins

by Peter Allen
Kevin Ceccon

Photo: Sam Bloxham/GP3 Series Media Service

Kevin Ceccon topped the times in the opening session of GP3 post-season testing in Abu Dhabi, ahead of UAE racer Ed Jones and debutant George Russell.

Experienced campaigner Ceccon set a time of 1m55.501s in the Jenzer car that he will hand over to Matheo Tuscher for the afternoon running.

Six tenths off the pace in the second was Dubai-based Jones, driving for the same Carlin team he competed for in European F3 this year.

16-year-old Russell, testing for Arden as a prize for winning the BRDC F4 title, was the quickest newcomer in third.

Formula Renault 2.0 graduate Andrea Pizzitola was fourth for ART Grand Prix ahead of Trident’s Luca Ghiotto and series regular Patrick Kujala, who has switched to Arden for testing.

GT racer Christopher Mies was within a second of the pace in seventh on his single-seater debut with Hilmer Motorsport. ADAC Formel Masters graduate Ralph Boschung was eighth for Jenzer, with the top ten completed by Arden’s Mitch Gilbert and Status tester Matt Parry.

Session 1 results
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Lap
1 Kevin Ceccon Jenzer Motorsport 1:55.501 26
2 Ed Jones Carlin 1:56.165 0.664 24
3 George Russell Arden International 1:56.198 0.697 27
4 Andrea Pizzitola ART Grand Prix 1:56.220 0.719 25
5 Luca Ghiotto Trident 1:56.264 0.763 23
6 Patrick Kujala Arden International 1:56.309 0.808 18
7 Christopher Mies Hilmer Motorsport 1:56.474 0.973 32
8 Ralph Boschung Jenzer Motorsport 1:56.511 1.010 30
9 Mitch Gilbert Arden International 1:56.703 1.202 25
10 Matt Parry Status Grand Prix 1:56.705 1.204 26
11 Steijn Schothorst Koiranen GP 1:56.819 1.318 26
12 Antonio Fuoco Koiranen GP 1:56.973 1.472 20
13 Ryan Cullen Koiranen GP 1:56.993 1.492 16
14 Gustavo Menezes Carlin 1:57.043 1.542 30
15 Alex Palou Trident 1:57.176 1.675 25
16 Alfonso Celis Status Grand Prix 1:57.189 1.688 23
17 Raoul Hyman Jenzer Motorsport 1:57.316 1.815 22
18 Tatiana Calderon ART Grand Prix 1:57.325 1.824 28
19 Ling Kang Hilmer Motorsport 1:57.341 1.840 21
20 Seb Morris Status Grand Prix 1:57.670 2.169 19
21 Amaury Bonduel Trident 1:57.867 2.366 27
22 Matt Rao Carlin 1:58.265 2.764 24
23 Artur Janosz ART Grand Prix 1:58.557 3.056 20