Alesi holds firm for GP3 victory in Barcelona

Giuliano Alesi held firm to record his fourth GP3 Series victory on Sunday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, soaking up pressure from cars behind following three Safety Car periods that meant he was unable to pull clear at the front of the pack.

Ferrari Driver Academy member Alesi, 19, started second behind reverse grid pole-sitter Juan Manuel Correa, but was able to grab the lead of the race on the run down to Turn 1 as the front-runners started on wet tyres following overnight rain.

Alesi was able to pull out a slender lead over Anthoine Hubert, who moved up to second ahead of Correa early on, before the race was neutralised behind the Safety Car following a crash for Pedro Piquet.

Alesi retained his advantage when the race resumed, pulling out of DRS range from Hubert as Jake Hughes began to make moves up the order, taking third from Correa, who dropped into the clutches of Callum Ilott behind.

A second Safety Car period was called when Gabriel Aubry became beached in the gravel, wiping away Alesi's lead again, and he had little time to forge an advantage when the race returned to green as a third and final Safety Car was called after Tatiana Calderon went off at Turn 5.

The race got back underway with just one lap remaining as the clock hit zero, with Alesi pumping in a new fastest lap en route to his fourth Sunday win in GP3 for Trident, finishing two seconds clear of Hubert.

Hughes held on for third place after starting 13th, with Correa finishing fourth ahead of Dorian Boccolacci as both he and Niko Kari passed Ilott on the final lap. Simo Laaksonen took the final point on offer for eighth place.