FR 3.5 – Magnussen at Dams, an explosive cocktail!

The first day of testing in Barcelona was dominated by Kevin Magnussen (Dams), who this afternoon set a new category record on this track in 1'28, lowering his morning time by almost 721/4th of a second. ?It?s interesting to see how other teams work and to drive other teams? cars. Between the race and these tests, it's a lot of driving, but it's a good way to prepare for 10. The conditions were perfect today, which explains this very good time. »
Claire Magnant, the team manager, did not hide the great impression given to the team by the Dane. Tomorrow, Magnussen will have the opportunity to try to improve his time, but this time it will be with Fortec Motorsport that he will evolve. At Dams, we are preparing to welcome his rookie teammate to Carlin this season, Will Stevens.

For lovers of numbers, this new record time from Magnussen is 1 faster than the pole position signed in GP9 last May by James Calado (2'1). But do not draw hasty conclusions, because the two categories differ by their tires and their very different technical philosophies. As an indication, Jules Bianchi's pole position last Saturday was achieved in 30'655, but on a much colder morning track.

Nico Müller finished with the second best performance in 1'29 with a Pons Racing car, but will not be present tomorrow. Unlike Marcus Erisson 148rd in 3'1?29 and who will continue with the P804 team. Tamas Pal Kiss (BVM Target), Pietro Fantin (Lotus), Will Stevens (Fortec) and Carlos Sainz Jr (Carlin) took the following places, from 4th to 7th.

Arthur Pic (AV Formula) is 8th in 1'30, and Norman Nato (Arden Caterham), in constant progress for his debut, offered himself a promising 016th time with 1'30 with his second set of new tires. The vice-champion of the FR 254 ALPS is third among the beginners in the discipline behind Fantin and Sainz, both from the F3. Tomorrow, Pic will continue with the new Spanish team, whose director is none other than the Frenchman Philippe Gautheron, Nato also with Arden Caterham.

Among the beginners in the discipline, some were able to realize their current deficiencies on a physical level, particularly in terms of resistance to centrifugal force making the neck painful. Like the American Conor Daly, author of the 16th time in the only Tech 1 Racing car on the track, or the Filipino Marlon Stöckinger, who was clearly ill, was forced to dismount before the end of the afternoon .

As for the native Albert Costa, winner of the Eurocup Mégane Trophy, and who had the pleasure of returning behind the wheel of a car, since his two seasons of FR 3.5 of the old model, he was able to measure how much it would have been necessary to re-prepare specifically for much more demanding efforts.