Luca Filippi continued to set the pace on the second day of GP2 Asia Series testing at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, the Meritus driver just edging out Roldan Rodriguez.

With the all-new track continuing to get quicker as the day wore on, most the drivers set their fastest times under spotlights, with Filippi, who finished ninth in the main series this year with Super Nova, emerging on top for the Asia Series-only Meritus team.

It was close at the front though, with just two hundredths splitting him and Rodriguez, the ex-Piquet GP driver settling into his new surroundings with Scuderia Coloni with an equally impressive lap.

With Oliver Turvey on World Series by Renault duty in Spain, Davide Valsecchi flew the flag for iSport, topping the slower morning session before ending the day in third overall, the Italian himself just a tenth slower than countryman Filippi.

Of the large GP2 rookie contingent, newly crowned Formula Master champion Fabio Leimer was an impressive fourth fastest for ORT, ahead of more experienced competitor Diego Nunes in the second Meritus car.

Some-time GP2 competitor Rodolfo Gonzalez put in his most convincing showing with the sixth fastest time for Arden, ahead of F3 Euroseries graduate Christian Vietoris, Josef Kral, Marcus Ericsson and Michael Herck.

Elsewhere, Sam Bird finished the day in 12th for ART Grand Prix, although he was second fastest in the morning, while James Jakes' return to Super Nova saw him end up 14th. Max Chilton and Will Bratt were 19th and 20th fastest respectively for Barwa Addax and Coloni.


Saturday 24th October – AM session

1. Davide Valsecchi iSport 1min 52.355s
2. Sam Bird ART 1min 53.110s
3. Luiz Razia Barwa 1min 53.357s
4. Josef Kral Super Nova 1min 53.456s
5. Diego Nunes Meritus 1min 53.878s
6. Johnny Cecotto Trident 1min 53.941s
7. Max Chilton Barwa 1min 53.979s
8. Pablo Sanchez Arden 1min 54.365s
9. Michael Herck DPR 1min 54.422s
10. Fabio Leimer ORT 1min 54.434s
11. Alexander Rossi ORT 1min 54.654s
12. Rodolfo Gonzalez Arden 1min 54.664s
13. Luca Filippi Meritus 1min 54.821s
14. Christian Vietoris DAMS 1min 54.994s
15. Edoardo Piscopo DAMS 1mins 55.243s
16. Marcus Ericsson ART 1min 55.284s
17. Daniel Zampieri Piquet GP 1min 55.585s
18. Roldan Rodriguez Coloni 1min 55.668s
19. Vladimir Arabadzhiev Piquet GP 1min 55.740s
20. James Jakes Super Nova 1min 55.961s
21. Will Bratt Coloni 1min 57.608s
22. Plamen Kralev Trident 1min 59.410s
23. Giacomo Ricci DPR No Time

Saturday 24th October – PM session

1. Luca Filippi Meritus 1min 51.415s
2. Roldan Rodriguez Coloni 1min 51.435s
3. Davide Valsecchi iSport 1min 51.508s
4. Fabio Leimer ORT 1min 51.650s
5. Diego Nunes Meritus 1min 51.993s
6. Rodolfo Gonzalez Arden 1min 52.083s
7. Christian Vietoris DAMS 1min 52.235s
8. Josef Kral Super Nova 1min 52.294s
9. Marcus Ericsson ART 1min 52.297s
10. Michael Herck DPR 1min 52.420s
11. Johnny Cecotto Trident 1min 52.422s
12. Sam Bird ART 1min 52.478s
13. Luiz Razia Barwa 1min 52.498s
14. James Jakes Super Nova 1min 52.567s
15. Edoardo Piscopo DAMS 1min 52.625s
16. Vladimir Arabadzhiev Piquet GP 1min 52.673s
17. Daniel Zampieri Piquet GP 1min 52.760s
18. Alexander Rossi ORT 1min 52.877s
19. Max Chilton Barwa 1min 52.998s
20. Will Bratt Coloni 1min 53.001s
21. Pablo Sanchez Arden 1min 53.571s
22. Plamen Kralev Trident 1min 56.874s