Da Costa takes second GP3 win of season with lights-to-flag run in Hungaroring opener
Antonio Felix da Costa led round 11 of the GP3 Series from start to finish at the Hungaroring on Saturday evening to score his second victory of the season, and the third of his career, for Carlin
There was huge drama on the opening half lap of the race, as poleman Aaro Vainio (Lotus) made a terrible start, while his title rival Mitch Evans (MW Arden) made a blinder from the second row. Despite weaving at Evans, which put him on the grass, Vainio could do nothing to stop the Kiwi coming past him, who then took the fight to leader da Costa.
Although the Portuguese man had made a decent getaway, Evans tried to go around his outside at Turn 1, only to run wide and allow Daniel Abt and Vainio back past him. But Evans wasn't done yet, and passed both Lotus cars at Turn 3, before Abt lunged down his inside to grab second position back a few corners later.
As da Costa pulled well clear of the battling Abt and Evans, Vainio lost fourth to Kevin Ceccon on lap two. Abt survived a lurid slide at the exit of the high-speed turn 4 while keeping Evans at arm's length, and they filled the podium positions behind da Costa. That extended Evans's championship lead over Vainio, who will be gutted with the result as he'd previously topped both practice and qualifying.
Ceccon held off Vainio for fourth, with Conor Daly, Matias Laine, David Fumanelli, Marlon Stockinger and Lewis Williamson rounding out the point scorers.
Da Costa was never challenged up front, apart from the first corner side-by-side with Evans, and even found time to set a new lap record on the way to the Carlin squad's second victory of the day. He won by 4.4s.
Results - 16 laps:
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap 1. Antonio Felix da Costa Carlin 26m33.107s 2. Daniel Abt Lotus + 4.410s 3. Mitch Evans MW Arden + 4.747s 4. Kevin Ceccon Ocean + 8.674s 5. Aaro Vainio Lotus + 9.681s 6. Conor Daly Lotus + 10.404s 7. Matias Laine MW Arden + 11.025s 8. David Fumanelli MW Arden + 12.928s 9. Marlon Stockinger Status + 13.338s 10. Lewis Williamson Status + 14.257s 11. Giovanni Venturini Trident + 17.448s 12. Robert Visoiu Jenzer + 18.531s 13. Tio Ellinas Manor + 20.984s 14. Tamas Pal Kiss Atech CRS + 21.482s 15. Alex Brundle Carlin + 23.338s 16. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer + 24.770s 17. Alex Fontana Jenzer + 28.400s 18. Facu Regalia Atech CRS + 32.508s 19. Alice Powell Status + 32.988s 20. Vicky Piria Trident + 41.678s 21. Robert Cregan Ocean + 44.872s 22. Ethan Ringel Atech CRS + 48.844s 23. Will Buller Carlin + 1m30.888s 24. Carmen Jorda Ocean + 1 lap Retirements: Dmitry Suranovich Manor 3 laps Fabiano Machado Manor 0 laps
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