WICKENS IN TOP FOUR IN OPENING PRACTICE AT HUNGARY
Status Grand Prix driver Robert Wickens was again a contender at the front of the GP3 Series field as he set
the fourth fastest time in practice session at the twisty Hungaroring circuit on Friday.
The Canadian, fresh from winning the GP3 feature race last weekend at Hockenheim, set the fastest time in
the early stages of the 30-minute session for the Formula One support-race series, which is staging its 11th
and 12th rounds of the 16-race championship at the Hungarian Grand Prix meeting this weekend. The
21-year-old from Toronto, who lies second in the drivers' championship, continued to be a factor at the front
throughout the session. Having made a pit stop to make some set-up changes, he set the fourth fastest time
in the closing stages, just 0.296s off the fastest time set by Jenzer Motorsport's Nico Muller.
GMH Motorsport-backed driver Daniel Morad, on his first visit to the Hungaroring, also showed strongly in the
practice session. The Canadian-Lebanese driver, a race winner in GP3 this season at Silverstone, was in the
Top Six during the first half of the session, and then also pitted to adjust his Dallara-Renault's set-up. In the
final reckoning at the end of the session, as the fastest times were set with lighter fuel loads, Morad found his
best efforts frustrated by traffic, including one car delaying him as it exited the pit lane. This meant the
20-year-old's best lap time was nudged outside of the Top 10 on the final tour, but he remains bullish about
his chances in qualifying on Saturday morning, which precedes the feature race tomorrow afternoon.
Marussia Motors development driver Ivan Lukashevich also got to grips well with the tricky circuit in slippery
conditions, and was inside the Top 20 for much of the early part of the session. In the end he was eventually
knocked down to 26th, but the 19-year-old Russian was encouraged with his progress as he tuned the car to
his driving style.
The Drivers' View
Robert Wickens (CAN): (Best time: 1m38.47s, +0.296s; Position: 4th).
"It's good to have a strong Friday practice session, and although there are areas to improve in both me and
the car's balance, we're working hard on these and will be stronger again tomorrow."
Daniel Morad (LIB): (Best time: 1m38.84s, +0.661s; Position: 12th).
"It was annoying to be held up by another car in the final moments, but I definitely feel we're contenders here
in Hungary. The car feels good and I'm confident we can be strong when it counts in qualifying tomorrow."
Ivan Lukashevich (RUS): (Best time: 1m39.91s, + 1.771s; Position: 26th).
"There's more to come from me and the car, and I'm looking forward to progressing further on Saturday."
-source: status gp
