Tyre gamble earns Tambay Spa victory
Adrien Tambay produced a great drive on slick tyres to win today's second GP3 race despite damp conditions at Spa-Francorchamps
When a shower hit the circuit mid-way through the race, the Manor driver - who started the race 27th - elected to stay out on his dry-weather tyres as everyone else pitted, thus earning himself a lead of over 10 seconds.
Those who had pitted quickly reeled him in and were on his tail with three laps to go, but by that stage the circuit was drying and thus coming to Tambay.
Wet-shod Nico Muller (Jenzer) kept the pressure on Tambay, however, as there was very little in it between slicks and wets in the closing stages. Alex Rossi (ART) took over second place on the penultimate lap, but he too could not find a way past the determined Tambay.
Neither Esteban Gutierrez (ART) nor Robert Wickens (Status) scored points today, so Wickens retains a slim chance of taking the title at Monza in two weeks.
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Adrien Tambay Manor 30m11.408s
2. Alexander Rossi ART +0.445
3. Miki Monras MW Arden +1.203
4. Dean Smith Carlin +2.788
5. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Manor +3.107
6. Nico Muller Jenzer +6.131
7. Esteban Gutierrez ART +12.160
8. Tobias Hegewald Mucke +13.837
9. Felipe Guimaraes Addax +18.197
10. Oliver Oakes Atech CRS +19.794
11. Robert Wickens Status +25.499
12. Antonio Felix da Costa Carlin +29.444
13. Ivan Lukashevich Status +34.677
14. Mirko Bortolotti Addax +39.355
15. Nigel Melker Mucke +50.443
16. Daniel Morad Status +57.444
17. Pal Varhaug Jenzer +1:08.290
18. Rio Haryanto Manor +1:19.228
19. Pedro Nunes ART +1:28.189
20. Doru Sechelariu Tech 1 +1:40.900
21. Josef Newgarden Carlin +1:56.218
22. Roberto Merhi Atech CRS +1 lap
23. Michael Christensen MW Arden +1 lap
24. Stefano Coletti Tech 1 +1 lap
25. Pablo Sanchez Addax +1 lap
Retirements
Dani Juncadella Tech 1 11 laps
Simon Trummer Jenzer 5 laps
Renger van der Zande Mucke 0 laps
Leonardo Cordeiro MW Arden 0 laps
Vittorio Ghirelli Atech CRS 0 laps
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