Jack Aitken threw himself back into GP3 Series title contention after taking a commanding victory at the Hungaroring.
The Briton was joined on the podium by team-mates Nirei Fukuzumi and Anthoine Hubert – the fourth ART Grand Prix of championship leader George Russell was not able to make the start after suffering from technical gremlins on the grid as the drivers began the formation lap
Initially, Russell was able to get going but after stopping on track a number of times eventually pulled off and parked up.
Aitken got a good start from pole, but so did Fukuzumi behind him as the pair moved to cover Dorian Boccolacci as they headed down to Turn 1.
Fukuzumi was all over the rear of his team-mate ahead with the Briton defending well when the safety car was deployed to recover Arjun Maini and Tatiana Calderon‘s cars which had stopped separately on track.
Maini had been suffering issues on the grid prior to the start.
Racing had barely resumed when it was once again halted but for a virtual safety car period this time as a result of Steijn Schothorst stopping on track.
When the VSC was brought to an end Fukuzumi had a better restart than with the full safety car but Aitken had enough of a buffer to not have to defend his position.
It was not such a good restart for Alessio Lorandi who was unable to keep Kevin Jörg behind him, losing seventh place in the process but regained the position when the Swiss driver went too deep into Turn 1 on the next lap.
Out in the lead, Aitken was in a race of his own putting in a string of fastest laps to create a gap to his team-mate chasing him. Hubert made it an all ART leading trio when he got passed Boccolacci as the pair went side-by-side through Turns 1, 2 and 3.
Niko Kari attempted to follow Hubert through but made slight contact with Boccolacci before losing a number of places after running deep the next time round into Turn 1 whilst trying to pass the Frenchman.
At the flag Aitken claimed victory ahead of Fukuzumi with Hubert coming home in third to make it an all ART rostrum – with the trio well ahead of Lorandi who claimed fourth off of Boccolacci on the penultimate lap.
Silverstone Sprint Race winner Giuliano Alesi held off his Trident stablemates Jörg and Ryan Tveter and a disappointed Kari held off Bruno Baptista who claimed the first points of his GP3 career.
The Sprint Race gets underway at 9.10 local time tomorrow, with Tveter on reverse grid pole position.
2017 GP3 Series Feature Race Results – Hungaroring
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