Talents gather for the first Auto GP official test

Auto GP is ready to start the engines for the first official test of the 2011 season in Barcelona.

For the two days of testing, that will start tomorrow ending on Thursday, some among the most interesting talents in international motorsport gathered at Circuit de Catalunya to have their first contact with the Lola-Zytek and start preparing the season in the best possible way.

Dams, who won both the drivers’ and teams’ titles in the debut Auto GP season, will line-up Russian Sergei Afanasiev, from F2, and Indonesian Rio Haryanto, together with Adrien Tambay, one of the key players of Auto GP in 2010 and a race-winner in Imola.

Italian teams will field some of the most interesting italian young guns: already confirmed Ceccon and Buttarelli will drive with Ombra Racing, while Giovanni Venturini will flank Giuseppe Cipriani at Durango.

SuperNova opted for a mixed line-up combining the quick and experienced Adrian Zaugg with a recognized spanish young talent as the ’09 European F3 Open champion Bruno Mendez.

Fabio Onidi, who clinched four podium finishes last season, and Fabrizio Crestani, who boasted a stunning GP2 debut in 2010, will take driving duties at Lazarus, while new-entry TP Formula has high ambitions with Luca Filippi and Chris Van der Drift.

Having the honour of being the “home team”, Campos Racing will have its share of talent at the wheel: Jon Lancaster, a very consistent performer in both Ws by Renault and Superleague Formula, will drive alongside Marco Barba, the first driver announced by the team for the season.

Auto GP Barcelona Official test, 23 March entry-list

source: autogp.org