GP3 Series

Stanaway Wins On Debut Weekend In GP3

2 Mins read

Richie Stanaway took a fine victory in Race 2 at Spa-Francorchamps on his debut weekend in the series, leading an ART 1-2 as James Calado finished second. The team's third driver Valtteri Bottas, the championship leader, got himself up to fifth before mechanical problems dropped him down the order.

Starting from pole position courtesy of the reverse grid after climbing from 18th to eighth during yesterday's first race, Stanaway didn't get as good a start as the man alongside him, Nico Muller. The Swiss driver took the lead on the run down to La Source, but Stanaway took it back again before the end of the first lap.

While Stanaway ran away up front, Adrian Quaife-Hobbs took second place from Muller a few laps in. James Calado moved up to fourth place in the early stages from seventh, with teammate Valtteri Bottas climbing to fifth after battling his way past Nigel Melker. Contact between the two at Les Combes eventually resulted in the Dutchman retiring.

Muller managed to find his way back past Quaife-Hobbs at La Source a couple of laps later, with Calado then diving past Quaife-Hobbs for third into Eau Rouge. The Racing Steps Foundation-backed driver then got the run on Muller up the hill, taking him from second into Les Combes.

Calado chased down Stanaway but the New Zealander kept comfortably ahead to seal victory ahead of his British teammate. Muller completed the podium in third place.

Having lost his place on the podium, Quaife-Hobbs immediately fell back and into retirement after slowing with a mechanical problem. Bottas also slowed, initially falling out of the points to seventh before the problem appeared to return on the final lap, falling to 19th at the flag.

Michael Christensen inherited fourth place, ahead of Simon Trummer, who climbed from 19th on the grid, with fellow Swiss driver and another debutant Alex Fontana taking the final point in sixth.

Bottas' non-score cuts his lead to Calado from 11 points to just five, heading to the season finale at Monza in two weeks' time. Melker, Alexander Sims and Quaife-Hobbs are still mathematically in contention following their non-scores in the second race.

Race results – 12 laps:

Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1 Richie Stanaway Lotus ART 26:47.675
2 James Calado Lotus ART 4.007
3 Nico Müller Jenzer Motorsport 7.126
4 Michael Christensen RSC Mücke Motorsport 16.441
5 Simon Trummer MW Arden 17.081
6 Alex Fontana Jenzer Motorsport 19.013
7 Conor Daly Carlin 28.056
8 Ivan Lukashevich Status Grand Prix 29.348
9 Rio Haryanto Marussia Manor Racing 32.482
10 Marlon Stockinger Atech CRS Grand Prix 32.534
11 Antonio Felix da Costa Status Grand Prix 33.189
12 Zoël Amberg Atech CRS Grand Prix 36.271
13 Nick Yelloly Atech CRS Grand Prix 42.505
14 Tamás Pál Kiss Tech 1 Racing 44.434
15 Maxim Zimin Jenzer Motorsport 44.881
16 Gabby Chaves Addax Team 45.707
17 Daniel Mancinelli RSC Mücke Motorsport 46.160
18 Leonardo Cordeiro Carlin 46.479
19 Valtteri Bottas Lotus ART 48.235
20 Dean Smith Addax Team 50.257
21 Thomas Hylkema Tech 1 Racing 127.765
Ret Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Marussia Manor Racing 7 laps
Ret Tom Dillmann Addax Team 7 laps
Ret Nigel Melker RSC Mucke Motorsport 2 laps
Ret Alexander Sims Status Grand Prix 1 lap
Ret Mitch Evans MW Arden 1 lap
Ret Aaro Vainio Tech 1 Racing 1 lap
Ret Callum MacLeod Carlin 1 lap
Ret Matias Laine Marussia Manor Racing 0 laps
DNS Lewis Williamson MW Arden

Drivers' standings after 7 of 8 rounds:

1. Valtteri Bottas, 52
2. James Calado, 47
3. Nigel Melker, 38
4. Alexander Sims, 34
5. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, 33
6. Lewis Williamson, 31

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About author
Peter joined the TCF team in September 2010 and covers GP2 and GP3 along with WTCC and Formula Two. You can find him on twitter at @PeteAllen_
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