Wickens victorious in final GP3 race
Robert Wickens has taken a commanding victory in the final race of the inaugural GP3 Series season at Monza
The Status driver made a sensational start from fifth on the grid go into the first corner just behind Roberto Merhi, who had led off the line, and passed the Spaniard on the exit to claim the lead. From there Wickens enjoyed a straightforward run to the chequered flag, claiming the win by a margin of 1.6 seconds.
Carlin's Josef Newgarden had the front row of the grid to himself after polesitter Nigel Melker was relegated to the back for causing the first start to be aborted, but the American was boxed in on the run down to the first chicane and dropped to fourth behind Merhi, Wickens and Mirko Bortolotti.
Bortolotti made short work of Merhi to claim second, and with insufficient pace to challenge Wickens, that is where he remained to the finish. Whether he will keep the place remains to be seen though, with the Italian having positioned his car a good foot ahead of his slot on the grid.
Nico Muller also found a way passed Merhi to claim the final place on the podium, while Newgarden was left in fifth. Miki Monras picked up the final point after triumphing in an entertaining three-way scrap with Daniel Morad and Leonardo Cordeiro.
Newly-crowned champion Esteban Gutierrez was a non-finisher after spinning his ART car through 180 degrees and stalling in the middle of the Parabolica.
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Robert Wickens Status 26m20.507s
2. Mirko Bortolotti Addax + 1.618s
3. Nico Muller Jenzer + 1.939s
4. Roberto Merhi Atech CRS + 3.040s
5. Josef Newgarden Carlin + 4.430s
6. Miki Monras MW Arden + 9.604s
7. Daniel Morad Status + 12.695s
8. Leonardo Cordeiro MW Arden + 15.274s
9. Oliver Oakes Atech CRS + 15.873s
10. Michael Christensen MW Arden + 17.698s
11. Tobias Hegewald RSC Mucke + 18.669s
12. Pablo Sanchez Lopez Addax + 18.860s
13. Nigel Melker RSC Mucke + 25.415s
14. Ivan Lukashevich Status + 26.612s
15. Alexander Rossi ART + 26.664s
16. Dean Smith Carlin + 27.354s
17. Felipe Guimaraes Addax + 27.983s
18. Doru Sechelariu Tech 1 + 28.073s
19. Pal Varhaug Jenzer + 28.310s
20. Stefano Coletti Tech 1 + 29.703s
21. Vittorio Ghirelli Atech CRS + 39.337s
22. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Manor + 1m04.494s
23. Rio Haryanto Manor + 1 lap
24. Simon Trummer Jenzer + 1 lap
Retirements:
Pedro Nunes ART 12 laps
James Jakes Manor 10 laps
Renger van der Zande RSC Mucke 4 laps
Esteban Gutierrez ART 3 laps
Lucas Foresti Carlin 2 laps
Daniel Juncadella Tech 1 1 lap
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