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Anthoine Hubert claims last GP3 title, Leo Pulcini wins race one

Anthoine Hubert has taken the last GP3 title in Abu Dhabi as his title rival Nikita Mazepin was given a penalty, while Leo Pulcini won the weekend's opening race

Campos Racing driver Pulcini made a fantastic getaway, but had to wait until lap two of 18 for the lead as he dived down the inside of Mazepin into Turn 8, with DRS proving powerful.

Mazepin retook the lead two laps later, but on lap six Pulcini elbowed his way ahead. Mazepin attempted to fight back at Turn 11, at the end of the second DRS zone on the circuit.

But Mazepin overshot the corner and went into the run off, and he failed to go around the bollard at the corner exit.

The stewards awarded him a 10-second penalty, which dropped him to fifth although he was second on the road.

Pulcini kept Mazepin at arm's length after that for a second win in a season filled with bad luck for the Italian.

Hubert took third, after being passed on the last lap by David Beckmann, but he knew the title was safe even then. His team ART had already sealed the teams' title at the last round in Sochi.

Beckmann jumped ART team-mates Jake Hughes and Callum Ilott at the start, with all three swapping positions throughout the encounter.

Beckmann then set off with three laps to go and hunted Hubert for another brilliant finish. He would have fought for the title had he started the year with Trident, after a mid-season switch from Jenzer.

Ilott held on for fourth as a penalty-sunken Mazepin slotted in behind.

Hughes dropped off late on, passed by Giuliano Alesi in the closing stages.

Behind Alesi and Hughes, Juan Manuel Correa rose two positions to seal eighth and the revesed-grid pole for tomorrow's sprint race.

Simo Laaksonen and a Tatiana Calderon - who started 14th - sealed the top 10.

GP3 merges with European Formula 3 to create the FIA Formula 3 Championship next year, meaning Hubert has the honour of being the last GP3 champion.

Race one result

Pos Driver Team Laps Gap
1 Leonardo Pulcini Campos Racing 18 36m04.077s
2 David Beckmann Trident 18 8.631s
3 Anthoine Hubert ART Grand Prix 18 10.360s
4 Callum Ilott ART Grand Prix 18 11.156s
5 Nikita Mazepin ART Grand Prix 18 11.481s
6 Giuliano Alesi Trident 18 12.701s
7 Jake Hughes ART Grand Prix 18 16.729s
8 Juan Manuel Correa Jenzer Motorsport 18 17.110s
9 Simo Laaksonen Campos Racing 18 17.512s
10 Tatiana Calderon Jenzer Motorsport 18 17.804s
11 Ryan Tveter Trident 18 18.479s
12 Pedro Piquet Trident 18 20.350s
13 Jannes Fittje Jenzer Motorsport 18 21.523s
14 Richard Verschoor MP Motorsport 18 22.728s
15 Gabriel Aubry Arden International 18 24.169s
16 Sacha Fenestraz Arden International 18 26.043s
17 Devlin Defrancesco MP Motorsport 18 28.055s
18 Diego Menchaca Campos Racing 18 32.591s
19 Jehan Daruvala MP Motorsport 18 39.718s
20 Joey Mawson Arden International 18 1m09.610s

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