Nigel Melker scored his maiden race victory in the GP3 Series in the season opener at Istanbul Park.
Polesitter Tom Dillmann made a poor getaway, allowing Andrea Caldarelli to take the lead with Melker in pursuit. The Dutchman took the lead before the end of the first lap.
The safety car came out at the end of lap three after a clash between Leonardo Cordeiro and Lewis Williamson, which resulted in the Scot rolling his car when he hit the gravel trap.
After the restart Melker pulled away from Caldarelli, but the Italian then began to reel the Mucke driver in during the closing stages. Melker held on though to take the checkered flag with an advantage of six tenths over the Tech 1 driver.
Dillmann held onto third place for Carlin despite race-long pressure from ART driver Valtteri Bottas. Antonio Felix da Costa finished fifth for Status GP, with Kiwi teenager Mitch Evans finishing sixth. Michael Christensen finished seventh after passing Alexander Sims at the end of the race.
Race results after 15 laps:
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time/Gap |
| 1 | Nigel Melker | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 28:13.773 |
| 2 | Andrea Caldarelli | Tech 1 Racing | +0.605 |
| 3 | Tom Dillmann | Carlin | +2.942 |
| 4 | Valtteri Bottas | Lotus ART | +3.840 |
| 5 | Antonio Felix Da Costa | Status Grand Prix | +4.410 |
| 6 | Mitch Evans | MW Arden | +7.214 |
| 7 | Michael Christensen | RSC Mucke Motorsport | +10.608 |
| 8 | Alexander Sims | Status Grand Prix | +11.713 |
| 9 | Dean Smith | Addax Team | +11.928 |
| 10 | Gabriel Chaves | Addax Team | +19.559 |
| 11 | Nico Muller | Jenzer Motorsport | +23.673 |
| 12 | Zoel Amberg | Atech CRS GP | +24.192 |
| 13 | Nick Yelloly | Atech CRS GP | +24.977 |
| 14 | Ivan Lukashevich | Status Grand Prix | +26.180 |
| 15 | Aaro Vainio | Tech 1 Racing | +26.354 |
| 16 | Tamas Pal Kiss | Tech 1 Racing | +27.239 |
| 17 | James Calado | Lotus ART | +27.507 |
| 18 | Matias Laine | Marussia Manor Racing | +29.871 |
| 19 | Simon Trummer | MW Arden | +30.222 |
| 20 | Dominic Storey | Addax Team | +30.644 |
| 21 | Conor Daly | Carlin | +31.336 |
| 22 | Pedro Nunes | Lotus ART | +32.066 |
| 23 | Maxim Zimin | Jenzer Motorsport | +53.931 |
| 24 | Adrian Quaife-Hobbs | Marussia Manor Racing | +63.096 |
| 25 | Vittorio Ghirelli | Jenzer Motorsport | +63.096 |
| 26 | Rio Haryanto | Marussia Manor Racing | +1 lap |
| R | Luciano Bacheta | RSC Mucke Motorsport | 8 laps |
| R | Leonardo Cordeiro | Carlin | 3 laps |
| R | Lewis Williamson | MW Arden | 3 laps |
| R | Marlon Stockinger | Atech CRS GP | 1 lap |
