Mazepin wins GP3 opener, leads ART 1-2-3 in Barcelona
Nikita Mazepin controlled proceedings in the GP3 2018 season-opener to head an ART Grand Prix 1-2-3 finish to kick off the Barcelona race weekend.
The Force India development driver was denied a first-ever pole position in single-seaters in qualifying on Saturday, but surged past a slow-starting Leonardo Pulcini on the run to Turn 1 as the lights went out.
Nikita Mazepin controlled proceedings in the GP3 2018 season-opener to head an ART Grand Prix 1-2-3 finish to kick off the Barcelona race weekend.
The Force India development driver was denied a first-ever pole position in single-seaters in qualifying on Saturday, but surged past a slow-starting Leonardo Pulcini on the run to Turn 1 as the lights went out.
From there Mazepin commanded proceedings to score his second win in single-seaters and take an early lead in the 2018 drivers’ championship. Anthoine Hubert crossed the line 3.6s adrift of Mazepin, with Ferrari junior Callum Ilott securing an ART podium lock-out in third.
Having dropped down the order at the start, Pulcini had to settle with fourth, ahead of MP Motorsport’s Dorian Boccolacci and David Beckmann’s Jenzer.
Guliano Alesi finished seventh, ahead of Juan Manuel Correa, who takes reverse grid pole for Sunday’s sprint race as a result of sealing eighth place. Pedro Piquet and Diego Menchaca rounded out the top 10 to score the final points.
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