GP3 Series

Evans Wins Second Hockenheim Race Dominated By Safety Car

2 Mins read
Safety car - Photo Credit: Daniel Kalisz/GP3 Media Service

Mitch Evans strengthened his GP3 Series points lead by winning the second race at the Hockenheim, which was affected by two lengthy safety car periods.

Evans had started on pole but was beaten by a great start from home racer and Saturday's pole-sitter Daniel Abt.

The safety car would come out at the end of the lap following a large crash further down the order at the hairpin, in which Vicky Piria ran into the back of Robert Cregan, launching herself into William Buller, back into the air and then landing.

While Piria was given medical attention, the safety car stayed out until lap eight. At the restart, Evans got back past Abt for the lead under braking at the hairpin.

The safety car was back out two laps later, to enable Fabiano Machado to receive attention. The Brazilian driver had run wide at  turn one, gone beyond the run-off area and onto the grass as he rejoined the track. A bump launched the front of his car up into the air, and upon landing he pulled off to the right-hand side.

While he was attented to by an ambulance, the safety car remained out on track until the clock ticked down and reached the 30 minute time limit.

Evans took the checkered flag as the winner, his third victory of the season. Abt was second, while Conor Daly claimed a second podium finish of the weekend after coming from seventh to third on the first lap.

Tamas Pal Kiss was fourth ahead of Finnish drivers Matias Laine and Aaro Vainio – the title contender having lost two places off the start.

A good first lap allowed Tio Ellinas to take seventh after starting tenth, while Giovanni Venturini completed the points scorers in eighth. Race one winner Patric Niederhauser lost a place to Ellinas and finished ninth, with David Fumanelli in tenth.

Marlon Stockinger, Robert Visoiu, Alex Brundle, Dmitry Suranovich, Kevin Ceccon and Ethan Ringel completed the classified finishers. Ceccon was running side-by-side with teammate Cregan and in front of Piria at the time of the first-lap incident, and was lucky to avoid contact after taking too much speed into the hairpin and spinning to a stop.

Carmen Jorda retired in the pits five laps from the finish, while Cregan had a new rear-wing fitted and rejoined the action to finish ten laps down and unclassified.

Buller, Piria, Lewis Williamson and Alice Powell were those who retired in the first-lap incident, while Antonio Felix da Costa stopped in the first sector.

Evans' win extends his lead to 18 over Vainio, with the championship back in action at the Hungaroring next weekend.

1882 posts

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_
Articles
Related posts
GP3 SeriesPorsche Carrera Cup Australia

Joey Mawson set for guest entry for Porsche Carrera Cup Australia

1 Mins read
Upcoming single-seater racer explores sports car options in F1 supporting Porsche Carrera Cup race.
GP3 Series

Giuliano Alesi: "Sometime it Went Good, Sometimes Bad, But I Always Learned From Them"

2 Mins read
Giuliano Alesi looks back on his 2018 GP3 Series, as he prepares for a Formula 2 test this week.
GP3 Series

Ilott Claims Third in GP3 Standings

2 Mins read
Callum Ilott rounds off a strong rookie season in the GP3 Series with third in the championship.