ELMS: Berthon quickest for Murphy at Ricard

GP2 race winner Nathanael Berthon ended up quickest on the first day of the official European Le Mans Series test at Paul Ricard.

The sports car newcomer, who is looking at a short Le Mans program alongside another season in GP2 in 2014, topped the Tuesday times by seven tenths in the Murphy Prototypes ORECA-Nissan 03 from ex-Formula 1 driver Christian Klien's Morand Morgan-Judd/BMW LMP2.

Third fastest was former World Endurance Championship racer Keiko Ihara, who was driving Larbre Competition's Morgan-Judd/BMW, with a time just two hundredths behind Klien. She was sixth tenths ahead of fourth-placed Nelson Panciatici in the Alpine-backed Signatech ORECA-Nissan.

Ferrari factory driver Andrea Bertolini was quickest in the GTE class at the wheel of a 458 Italia fielded by the Franco-Russian SMP Racing squad.

The GTC class for GT3 machinery was headed by sometime IndyCar driver Franck Perera in an Almeras Porsche 911 GT3-R.

A total of 37 cars are taking part in the mandatory test ahead of the opening round of the ELMS at Silverstone on April 19.