Nurburgring GP3: Melville McKee and Bamboo claim first victory
Melville McKee scored his and Bamboo Engineering's first-ever GP3 Series victory at the Nurburgring, heading an all-British top four in Germany
Front row starter McKee grabbed the lead at the start from polesitter Alexander Sims (Status), the latter losing second when Carlin's Nick Yelloly drove around the outside of him at Turn 2.
McKee pulled out a 2.5-second lead by the end of lap three, but the chasing Yelloly closed the gap down to 1.1s four laps later.
But it was Sims who was the real threat, passing Yelloly with an audacious pass down the inside at Turn 3.
He closed in on McKee in the final stages, but just could not find a way around him.
McKee is the eighth winner from eight races this year, and had previously never finished in the top 10 before this weekend.
Yelloly dropped to a distant third, well clear of McKee's team-mate Lewis Williamson.
Carlos Sainz escaped a first-corner clash with Jack Harvey to finish fifth, ahead of points leader Tio Ellinas, who benefitted from a mistake from Manor team-mate Dino Zamparelli on lap three.
Patric Niederhauser grabbed the final point, when Conor Daly ran wide at Turn 3 on the final lap.
Ellinas stretches his points lead as Saturday's race winner Facu Regalia could not get a gear off the dummy grid and started from the pitlane. He was an early retirement.
Results - 15 laps: Pos Driver Team Time/Gap 1. Melville McKee Bamboo 27m23.992s 2. Alexander Sims Status +0.353s 3. Nick Yelloly Carlin +3.506s 4. Lewis Williamson Bamboo +5.273s 5. Carlos Sainz Jr MW Arden +9.781s 6. Tio Ellinas Manor +12.686s 7. Dino Zamparelli Manor +15.382s 8. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer +16.023s 9. Conor Daly ART +17.176s 10. Jack Harvey ART +19.390s 11. Aaro Vainio Koiranen +24.437s 12. Emanuele Zonzini Trident +26.696s 13. Patrick Kujala Koiranen +28.519s 14. Giovanni Venturini Trident +30.269s 15. Kevin Korjus Koiranen +30.613s 16. Daniil Kvyat MW Arden +30.818s 17. Alex Fontana Jenzer +31.247s 18. Jimmy Eriksson Status +33.008s 19. Samin Gomez Jenzer +34.547s 20. David Fumanelli Trident +34.698s 21. Eric Lichtenstein Carlin +35.383s 22. Luis Sa Silva Carlin +38.946s 23. Robert Visoiu MW Arden +39.132s 24. Carmen Jorda Bamboo +1m02.686s 25. Ryan Cullen Manor +1m22.545s Retirements: Josh Webster Status 11 laps Facu Regalia ART 8 laps
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