Red Bull junior Pierre Gasly picked up where he left off in 2014 by topping the opening GP2 pre-season test of 2015 in Abu Dhabi.

Last year’s Formula Renault 3.5 runner-up, who topped all three days of a post-season test at Yas Marina with DAMS last year, moved to the head of the timesheets with 10 minutes remaining on Monday.

The Frenchman was also able to respond to a quicker time from his countryman Arthur Pic in the closing moments, as both drivers made it into the 1m48s by the end of the day.

Late efforts from Ferrari junior Raffaele Marciello and his Trident team-mate Rene Binder moved them ahead Jordan King and ex-Sauber Formula 1 test driver Sergey Sirotkin, who were at the top of the times before the eventual leaders set their best laps.

Pre-season title favourite Stoffel Vandoorne ended the day 11th quickest, having rarely appeared towards the top of the times apart from briefly setting the pace at the beginning of the afternoon session.

Alexander Rossi was fastest from Gasly and the second DAMS car of GP3 champion Alex Lynn in the morning session, which was paused for 30 minutes for what was described as “software adjustments”.

MORNING TIMES:

AFTERNOON TIMES:

Gasley tops first day of GP2 testing with Kiwis back in action