Gutierrez takes hard-earned win
Esteban Gutierrez won today's GP3 Series feature race n a classic slipstreaming battle at Monza, although the newly-crowned champion had to work hard for the victory
Gutierrez started from pole but quickly found himself engaged in a six-way fight with Nico Muller, Robert Wickens, Roberto Merhi, Rio Haryanto and Renger van der Zande.
The group spent the majority of the race covered by just over two seconds and positions changed frequently, with Muller, Wickens and Haryanto all enjoying stints in the lead, and Gutierrez falling as far back as fifth.
The six contenders became five when van der Zande's Mucke entry slowed and forced the Dutchman into the pits, continuing his immensely unlucky season.
Shortly afterward, Gutierrez made what would prove to be the decisive move of the race when he darted out of Wicken's slipstream to pass the Canadian into the first corner three laps from the end. With a clear track ahead the ART driver managed to open a gap of a second to secure the victory, leaving Wickens and Haryanto to complete the podium.
Muller was fourth, with Mirko Bortolotti, Merhi, Josef Newgarden and Nigel Melker rounding out the points, although the result could change depending upon the outcome of an investigation into an incident involving Wickens and Muller when the pair were scrapping over the lead in the early stages of the race.
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Esteban Gutierrez ART 28m26.731s
2. Robert Wickens Status + 0.995s
3. Rio Haryanto Manor + 2.104s
4. Nico Muller Jenzer + 2.656s
5. Mirko Bortolotti Addax + 3.693s
6. Roberto Merhi Atech CRS + 4.539s
7. Josef Newgarden Carlin + 4.886s
8. Nigel Melker RSC Mucke + 6.923s
9. Daniel Morad Status + 10.148s
10. Tobias Hegewald RSC Mucke + 10.889s
11. Miki Monras MW Arden + 10.952s
12. Oliver Oakes Atech CRS + 12.102s
13. James Jakes Manor + 13.372s
14. Pal Varhaug Jenzer + 13.461s
15. Michael Christensen MW Arden + 15.945s
16. Stefano Coletti Tech 1 + 20.674s
17. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Manor + 21.286s
18. Pablo Sanchez Lopez Addax + 21.426s
19. Ivan Lukashevich Status + 21.938s
20. Lucas Foresti Carlin + 24.541s
21. Doru Sechelariu Tech 1 + 24.949s
22. Daniel Juncadella Tech 1 + 25.544s
23. Vittorio Ghirelli Atech CRS + 48.201s
24. Pedro Nunes ART + 1m04.316s
Retirements:
Felipe Guimaraes Addax 12 laps
Renger van der Zande RSC Mucke 10 laps
Simon Trummer Jenzer 6 laps
Leonardo Cordeiro MW Arden 4 laps
Dean Smith Carlin 1 lap
Alexander Rossi ART 0 laps
Share Or Save This Story
The Indy 500 poleman who didn't live to raceday
Fast Failures: American heartbreak at the Indianapolis 500
Indy Lights champion Spencer Pigot gets three race IndyCar deal
The ambition behind an ‘insane’ racing opportunity
Tanak involved in Toyota's development of its WRC 2027 car
The area Bezzecchi must improve upon to become MotoGP world champion
Neuville vows to bounce back from costly Rally Croatia error
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments