Petrov takes the advantage

If the rain surprised the drivers in the morning, the sun returned to Portimao during the qualifying session. In the morning, Nico Hulkenberg showed that he knew how to hold his own in the rain, before Luca Filippi set the best time in the second free practice session.

It was the Italian who achieved the first significant time, in 1:33:494. He is then dispossessed of his time by Sergio Perez then by Nico Hülkenberg. Certainly assured of his GP2 Series champion title, the German driver wants to offer the prize to his team, ART Grand Prix, in the teams' championship.

Meanwhile, local driver Alvaro Parente, winner at Estoril in the Superleague Formula a few weeks ago, is not enjoying the same success at Portimao. The Ocean Racing driver finds himself stuck in his pit, his team working on his car due to mechanical problems.

Halfway through the session, Vitaly Petrov put his name at the top of the score sheet, before being dispossessed of the best time by Luca Filippi then Lucas di Grassi. Nico Hülkenberg attacks and tries to snatch pole position but Davide Valsecchi passes behind and does better? Then it was Vitaly Petrov who improved again and obtained pole position at the very end of the session. Second in the championship, the Barwa driver consolidates his position with the two points from pole.

Second in the session, Dani Clos achieved a superb result, ahead of Nico Hülkenberg. But most of the eyes will be turned, during the race, towards the Petrov-Hülkenberg duel with, in the background, the duel between Barwa Addax and ART Grand Prix for the conquest of the championship title in the teams category.