GP3: Teams complete first new car test

GP3 teams completed their shakedown of the series' new GP3/16 on Thursday with a second test day at Magny-Cours.

Following a successful first day of running, teams continued to rack up mileage at the French circuit, despite wet weather plaguing the shakedown once more.

Campos Racing, which was assisted by ex-Formula 1 driver Giedo van der Garde on Wednesday, completed the most laps of all, with drivers Konstantin Tereshchenko and Alex Palou turning 97 laps between them.

The seven teams completed 502 laps between them on Thursday, bringing the total to 825 over the two days. Times were once again withheld, although Trident's Antonio Fuoco was fastest. The Ferrari Academy driver, who finished sixth in the championship last season, said there were areas where the new GP3/16 was already a noticeable step forward from its predecessor, despite the inclement weather conditions.

"This shakedown felt really good," said Fuoco. "It was not exactly the easiest conditions because it was raining all day today, but the car seems really good.

"The engine is more powerful than last year. I think we have to wait until Estoril to see how the car behaves in dry conditions, but at the moment, it looks really good. It's hard to compare this year's car to last season's because we never got to drive in wet conditions in 2015, but in general you can feel a bit more downforce and a bit more grip."

The series' first official pre-season test will be held in three weeks' time at Estoril on March 22-24.

Originally on Autosport.com