GP3 Series

Haryanto Steals Another Last-Gasp Win In The Rain

2 Mins read

Rio Haryanto claimed his second GP3 Series win in the space of just over a week, again stealing a last-gasp victory on a wet track just as he did at the Nurburgring last weekend.

Nigel Melker began the race from pole position in the rain, and held onto the lead at the start ahead of Tom Dillmann. Lewis Williamson held third early on, but spun out in the treacherous conditions on the second lap. The safety car was also deployed after Vittorio Ghirelli crashed.

Starting from ninth, Haryanto had made up a number of places at the start, and moved past Nico Muller for third after the restart. A few laps later he took second place from Dilmann, but Melker as already out front by himself.

The Dutchman had a lead of 7.9 seconds by lap 12, when the safety car came out again after Thomas Hylkema crashed. Haryanto got past Melker on the restart to steal the win.

Melker dropped two more places before the checkered flag, with the ART duo of Valtteri Bottas and James Calado, who had been the pacesetters for the whole weekend, claiming podium spots. Bottas had moved through from eighth on the grid following his Race 1 win, while Calado stormed through from 25th on the grid after his contact with Mitch Evans at the start of the first race.

Muller finished behind Melker in fifth, with Dillmann taking the final point in sixth. Alexander Sims fought his way through from the last slot on the grid to 11th after his exclusion yesterday.

Bottas' second place strengthens his championship lead over Sims to seven points. Melker is a further two points behind in third place, with Williamson and Calado tied for fourth just another point further back. The penultimate round of the season takes place at Spa-Francorchamps on 27/28 August.

Race results – 14 laps:

Pos. Driver Team Time/Gap
1 Rio Haryanto Marussia Manor Racing 30:06.456
2 Valtteri Bottas Lotus ART 1.344
3 James Calado Lotus ART 3.799
4 Nigel Melker RSC Mücke Motorsport 5.264
5 Nico Müller Jenzer Motorsport 7.158
6 Tom Dillmann Addax Team 8.808
7 Antonio Felix da Costa Status Grand Prix 9.991
8 Aaro Vainio Tech 1 Racing 10.741
9 Maxim Zimin Jenzer Motorsport 11.336
10 Alexander Sims Status Grand Prix 13.059
11 Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Marussia Manor Racing 13.339
12 Conor Daly Carlin 15.057
13 Simon Trummer MW Arden 16.949
14 Michael Christensen RSC Mücke Motorsport 18.071
15 Pedro Nunes Lotus ART 19.075
16 Leonardo Cordeiro Carlin 19.986
17 Zoël Amberg Atech CRS Grand Prix 21.114
18 Marlon Stockinger Atech CRS Grand Prix 21.636
19 Callum Macleod Carlin 22.551
20 Dean Smith Addax Team 22.845
21 Tamás Pál Kiss Tech 1 Racing 25.458
22 Matias Laine Marussia Manor Racing 27.214
23 Ivan Lukashevich Status Grand Prix 42.863
24 Mitch Evans MW Arden + 2 laps
Ret Thomas Hylkema Tech 1 Racing 9 laps
Ret Luciano Bacheta RSC Mücke Motorsport 8 laps
Ret Nick Yelloly Atech CRS Grand Prix 2 laps
Ret Lewis Williamson MW Arden 1 lap
Ret Vittorio Ghirelli Jenzer Motorsport 1 lap
Ret Gabby Chaves Addax Team 0 laps

Drivers' standings after 6 of 8 rounds:

1. Valtteri Bottas, 41
2. Alexander Sims, 34
3. Nigel Melker, 32
4. Lewis Williamson, 31
5. James Calado, 31
6. Mitch Evans, 28

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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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