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Bamber outshines Kobayashi at the chequered flag |
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On a windy track, rookie Earl Bamber
has taken the top spot in free practice today in Dubai in a 1:44.048,
just 1/1000th ahead of Dam’s Kamui Kobayashi. After snatching his first
GP2 podium last October in the opening of the second season of the GP2
Asia Series in China, the impressive young driver from MY
Qi-Meritus.Mahara proves once again that he is a man to watch.
Behind
the two fastest men, Davide Valsecchi at Durango also confirms he is on
top form by signing the third quickest laptime ahead of Dams second car
with d’Ambrosio and newcomer Pastor Maldonado at the wheel of the ART
Grand Prix car. The Venezuelan’s teammate, Sakon Yamamoto, quickly
followed ahead of another impressive rookie, Sergio Perez. The young
Mexican from Campos was already competitive in China.
The new
Ocean Racing Technology team seemed to adjust rather quickly to the
GP2/07 car with Yelmer Buurman finishing 8th of the session, just ahead
of the leader of the Championship Roldan Rodriguez at Piquet GP. Vitaly
Petrov on the second Campos car competed the top 10.
The qualifying session will start at 4:40pm today, local time.
Dubai – Free Practice
|
|
Driver
|
Team
|
Time
|
Laps
|
|
1.
|
Earl Bamber
|
MY Qi-Meritus.Mahara
|
1:44.048
|
14
|
|
2.
|
Kamui Kobayashi
|
Dams
|
1:44.049
|
14
|
|
3.
|
Davide Valsecchi
|
Durango
|
1:44.148
|
13
|
|
4.
|
Jérôme d’Ambrosio
|
Dams
|
1:44.488
|
15
|
|
5.
|
Pastor Maldonado
|
ART Grand Prix
|
1:44.565
|
13
|
|
6.
|
Sakon Yamamoto
|
ART Grand Prix
|
1:44.711
|
14
|
|
7.
|
Sergio Perez
|
Barwa Int. Campos Team
|
1:44.776
|
14
|
|
8.
|
Yelmer Buurman
|
Ocean Racing Team
|
1:44.782
|
13
|
|
9.
|
Roldan Rodriguez
|
Piquet GP
|
1:44.905
|
13
|
|
10.
|
Vitaly Petrov
|
Barwa Int. Campos Team
|
1:44.936
|
13
|
|
11.
|
Javier Villa
|
Super Nova Racing
|
1:45.300
|
14
|
|
12.
|
Giedo Van der Garde
|
iSport International
|
1:45.332
|
15
|
|
13.
|
James Jakes
|
Super Nova Racing
|
1:45.688
|
14
|
|
14.
|
Andreas Zuber
|
Fisichella Motor Sport Int.
|
1:45.815
|
14
|
|
15.
|
Hamad Al Fardan
|
iSport International
|
1:45.909
|
12
|
|
16.
|
Michael Herck
|
DPR
|
1:46.191
|
15
|
|
17.
|
Luiz Razia
|
Trust Team Arden
|
1:46.314
|
15
|
|
18.
|
Giacomo Ricci
|
DPR
|
1:46.315
|
14
|
|
19.
|
Diego Nunes
|
Piquet GP
|
1:46.342
|
14
|
|
20
|
Fabrizzio Crestani
|
Ocean Racing Technology
|
1:46.975
|
14
|
|
21.
|
Renger van der Zande
|
Trust Team Arden
|
1:46.993
|
14
|
|
22.
|
Alberto Valerio
|
Trident Racing
|
1:47.856
|
14
|
|
23.
|
Kevin Nai Chia Chen
|
Fisichella Motor Sport Int.
|
1:50.600
|
12
|
|
24.
|
Michael Dalle Selle
|
Durango
|
1:50.821
|
13
|
|
25
|
Alex Yoong
|
MY Qi-Meritus.Mahara
|
1:51.699
|
3
|
|
26
|
Chris van Der Drift
|
Trident Racing
|
1:53.607
|
2
|
|
