Nobuharu Matsushita topped the timesheets in the opening test ahead of the 2017 FIA Formula 2 Championship, with team-mate Alexander Albon making it a perfect day for the ART squad with the second fastest time.
Times continuously tumbled throughout the day, with Cecotto topping the morning session before trading the fastest time with the likes of Luca Ghiotto, Sean Gelael and Oliver Rowland.
When the chequered flag fell, it was Japanese driver Matsushita who started his season perfectly ahead of Albon with 2016 race winner Norman Nato rounding out the top three, setting an identical time to his Thai rival.
Racing Engineering’s new signing Gustav Malja continued his improved form from last season with the fourth fastest time set in the afternoon, with series veteran Johnny Cecotto Jr taking his Rapax to fifth place.
Oliver Rowland steered his new DAMS car into sixth spot, with debutant Nyck de Vries in seventh.
Louis Deletraz impressed in his first outing of 2017, with the Racing Engineering driver going eighth fastest ahead of Luca Ghiotto, with Nicholas Latifi rounding out the top ten.
Further down the order, former race winners Artem Markelov and Jordan King were 11th and 16th, respectively, while ex-Formula 1 driver Roberto Merhi finished bottom of the pile in 20th.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time |
| 1. | Nobuharu Matsushita | ART Grand Prix | 1m29.061s |
| 2. | Alexander Albon | ART Grand Prix | 1m29.157s |
| 3. | Norman Nato | Pertamina Arden | 1m29.157s |
| 4. | Gustav Malja | Racing Engineering | 1m29.230s |
| 5. | Johnny Cecotto Jr | Rapax | 1m29.239s |
| 6. | Oliver Rowland | DAMS | 1m29.355s |
| 7. | Nyck de Vries | Rapax | 1m29.625s |
| 8. | Louis Deletraz | Racing Engineering | 1m29.699s |
| 9. | Luca Ghiotto | Russian Time | 1m29.727s |
| 10. | Nicholas Latifi | DAMS | 1m29.743s |
| 11. | Artem Markelov | Russian Time | 1m29.750s |
| 12. | Charles Leclerc | Prema Racing | 1m29.756s |
| 13. | Sean Gelael | Pertamina Arden | 1m30.160s |
| 14. | Sergio Sette Camara | MP Motorsport | 1m30.278s |
| 15. | Sergio Canamasas | Trident | 1m30.297s |
| 16. | Jordan King | MP Motorsport | 1m30.330s |
| 17. | Antonio Fuoco | Prema Racing | 1m30.433s |
| 18. | Ralph Boschung | Campos Racing | 1m30.470s |
| 19. | Nabil Jeffri | Trident | 1m31.230s |
| 20. | Roberto Merhi | Campos Racing | 1m31.470s |
