Cecotto leads the way in Monaco

25th May 2012

Venezuelan on top in free practice

 

Johnny Cecotto has set the pace in this morning's free practice session in Monaco, stealing the top spot as the chequered flag dropped to lead home Series leader Davide Valsecchi and Fabio Leimer as the teams get ready for this afternoon's qualifying session in the fabled principality.

 

The Venezuelan was at the sharp end of the time sheets for much of the session, but his best lap right at the close of play at 1:22.075 put the cat among the pigeons by running 0.6 ahead of his rivals, who had been split by less than a tenth before Cecotto's flyer.

 

The session opened under glorious blue skies, and the action on track was soon heating up as Josef Kral, Luiz Razia, Leimer, Max Chilton, Giedo van der Garde and Cecotto swapped the top spot of the timesheets between them in the opening minutes. Esteban Gutierrez was unable to take the fight to his rivals, however, after losing the rear and finding the wall just out of St Devote, bringing his session to an early close.

 

With 2 sets of each tyre, and a shortened qualifying session for everyone when the grid will be split into 2 groups, many of the drivers changed tyres to look for an advantage, and the second half of the session saw more action as they explored the limits of the circuit. Cecotto was on a fast lap until he found Simon Trummer at the pool, tapping the Swiss driver but going faster next time round, while van der Garde went quicker still but spun at Rascasse to bring out the yellows once again.

 

With 3 minutes remaining Leimer put himself on top with a well judged lap, and when Kral spun off the kerbs at the exit to the swimming pool it looked as though the action was over, but as the flag dropped Valsecchi and then Cecotto sliced into their rivals' times to give themselves a last gasp advantage. Behind the top 3 van der Garde, Jolyon Palmer, Razia, Stefano Coletti, Chilton, Nathanaël Berthon and Kral will all fancy a shot at pole in just a few hours time.

 

Monaco – Free Practice

 
 Driver
 Team
 Laptime
 Laps
 
1.
 Johnny Cecotto
 Barwa Addax Team
 1:22.075
 16
 
2.
 Davide Valsecchi
 DAMS
 1:22.745
 18
 
3.
 Fabio Leimer
 Racing Engineering
 1:22.750
 14
 
4.
 Giedo van der Garde
 Caterham Racing
 1:22.757
 12
 
5.
 Jolyon Palmer
 iSport International
 1:22.842
 17
 
6.
 Luiz Razia
 Arden International
 1:23.104
 17
 
7.
 Stefano Coletti
 Scuderia Coloni
 1:23.343
 15
 
8.
 Max Chilton
 Carlin
 1:23.429
 15
 
9.
 Nathanaël Berthon
 Racing Engineering
 1:23.445
 18
 
10.
 Josef Kral
 Barwa Addax Team
 1:23.463
 14
 
11.
 Tom Dillmann
 Rapax
 1:23.626
 16
 
12.
 Marcus Ericsson
 iSport International
 1:24.009
 14
 
13.
 James Calado
 Lotus GP
 1:24.062
 21
 
14.
 Nigel Melker
 Ocean Racing Technology
 1:24.125
 20
 
15.
 Felipe Nasr
 DAMS
 1:24.154
 19
 
16.
 Fabio Onidi
 Scuderia Coloni
 1:24.160
 18
 
17.
 Stéphane Richelmi
 Trident Racing
 1:24.268
 16
 
18.
 Julian Leal
 Trident Racing
 1:24.315
 17
 
19
 Rodolfo Gonzalez
 Caterham Racing
 1:24.400
 17
 
20.
 Simon Trummer
 Arden International
 1:24.629
 20
 
21.
 Victor Guerin
 Ocean Racing Technology
 1:24.868
 18
 
22.
 Rio Haryanto
 Carlin
 1:25.748
 19
 
23.
 Fabrizio Crestani
 Venezuela GP Lazarus
 1:25.827
 20
 
24.
 Ricardo Teixeira
 Rapax
 1:26.680
 19
 
25.
 Giancarlo Serenelli
 Venezuela GP Lazarus
 1:29.407
 7
 
26.
 Esteban Gutiérrez
 Lotus GP
 1:36.944
 3
 

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