Title contenders struggle as Erickson takes GP3 win

Autosport

Jimmy Eriksson boosted his slim GP3 title hopes with a second win of the season at Monza, with those around him in the points race all suffering contrasting fortunes.

Koiranen GP racer Eriksson, who had only scored seven points in the last seven races and tumbled to fifth in the standings, dominated from pole position.

Although his winning margin over ART’s Dino Zamparelli was only 0.6 seconds at the finish, it was as much as 2.1s with seven laps to go.

Behind the strong-finishing Zamparelli, Marvin Kirchhofer inherited third for ART when the fast-starting Robert Visoiu was given a drive-through penalty for a marginal overtaking-under-yellow-flags call on the entry to the Roggia chicane.

Kirchhofer, who started eighth, was literally pushed into fourth place at the first corner by Dean Stoneman.

Emil Bernstorff (who started the race ahead of Eriksson in the points) just nipped ahead of Stoneman’s Manor car, and would hold fourth place in his Carlin machine until the finish.

Points leader Alex Lynn finished sixth, despite an appalling start. He towed past Patrick Kujala’s Manor car at the Curva Grande with four laps remaining.

Lynn’s main title rival, Richie Stanaway, also suffered a bad start, and then went through the gravel at the Roggia and was involved in a clash with Pal Varhaug at Lesmo 1.

From 13th, Stanaway battled his way back through to ninth, but just missed out on the reversed-grid pole, which goes to Matheo Tuscher.

Nick Yelloly, who was third in points and started third, finished 10th after a dismal first lap.

Results – 17 laps:

PosDriverTeamGap
1Jimmy ErikssonKoiranen GP28m35.462s
2Dino ZamparelliART Grand Prix0.674s
3Marvin KirchhoferART Grand Prix6.329s
4Emil BernstorffCarlin7.380s
5Dean StonemanMarussia Manor Racing8.287s
6Alex LynnCarlin9.107s
7Patrick KujalaMarussia Manor Racing10.776s
8Matheo TuscherJenzer Motorsport11.805s
9Richie StanawayStatus Grand Prix12.647s
10Nick YellolyStatus Grand Prix13.438s
11Jann MardenboroughArden International13.556s
12Kevin CecconJenzer Motorsport16.625s
13Patric NiederhauserArden International17.404s
14Luis Jorge Sa SilvaCarlin18.024s
15Riccardo AgostiniHilmer Motorsport18.180s
16Alfonso CelisStatus Grand Prix21.308s
17John Bryant-MeisnerTrident31.499s
18Mitchell GilbertTrident37.864s
19Robert VisoiuArden International40.537s
20Carmen JordaKoiranen GP1m15.351s
21Luca GhiottoTrident1 Lap
Alex FontanaART Grand PrixRetirement
Ryan CullenMarussia Manor RacingRetirement
Santiago UrrutiaKoiranen GPRetirement
Sebastian BalthasarHilmer MotorsportRetirement
Nelson MasonHilmer MotorsportNot started
Pal VarhaugJenzer MotorsportRetirement

Title contenders struggle as Erickson takes GP3 win

  • Autosport
    About The Author
    -

    one × three =

    You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

    Related stories