Race Report

GP3 SERIES

Circuit: Jerez (E), Length 4.428 km, 6^th/8^th October 2017, Rounds 13 & 14
www.circuitodejerez.com

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2017:
Alessio Lorandi (I), Juan Manuel Correa (USA) and Arjun Maini (IND)

Lorandi wins in Jerez!

The GP3 Series went to the well-known Jerez de la Frontera (E) circuit in southern Spain. There the seventh event of 2017 took place together with F2. The weather was still very summery and hot and everybody was keen to show their best pace.

Race One Qualifying

Friday, 06/10/17, 14.00 – 14.30, Weather: Sunny, 30°C

The free practice session was held on Friday morning. Our drivers were relatively inexperienced on this track and it showed somewhat. Arjun reached 12^th place, Juan Manuel was 15^th and Alessio was 18^th.

The qualifying session was held a mere three hours after the end of free practice and in the afternoon heat it proved quite demanding. Alessio managed to improve significantly and reached an excellent 6^th place on the grid. Juan Manuel was placed in 18^th and Arjun found himself immediately behind Juan Manuel in 19^th place.
After the session Alessio was given a penalty for hindering Pulcini when Pulcini was on his fastest lap and this costs him three grid places.

GP3 Series

Race One (40 Minutes)

Saaturday, 07/10/17, 11.00, Weather: Sunny, 30°C

The race started shortly before midday, in the main heat of the day. There were some changes of position initially before the order was established. Alessio had moved up into 8^th, Juan Manuel was 16^th and Arjun had moved forward to 18^th. All this proved that it’s not very easy to overtake on this circuit. Despite the use of DRS there were not many opportunities for advancement although Juan Manuel managed to attack and improve to 15^th. Arjun also gained a place to finish the race in 17^th place. Alessio managed to endure the pressure from Alesi for 22 laps, but on the 23^rd and final lap he left the door open just a tad, which was enough for Alesi, who didn’t need a second invitation to get past! That meant Alessio finished 9^th and had lost the much hoped for possibility of starting the second race from the reverse grid pole position!
However, after the race Alesi was penalised for pushing Alessio when he passed him. The penalty was to lose the place he had gained, meaning that Alessio finally got to start from pole position in the second race!

GP3 Series

Race Two (30 Minutes)

Sunday, 08/10/17, 11.00, Weather: Sunny, 27°C

Alessio made a brilliant start and immediately took the lead and although Boccolacci was close on his tail, and several times attempted an attack with the aid of DRS, he was never really close enough to endanger Alessio’s lead. Alessio drove an absolutely flawless race, which he controlled perfectly. Arjun had made up several places on the first lap and was driving well in 14^th place. Juan Manuel fell back at the start and then settled into 17^th place. However, just before the end of the race Ticktum attacked Kari and they touched. Ticktum flew off into the gravel and the Safety Car had to be deployed. After the restart there was just one race lap remaining. Alessio held his nerve and came home to his first category win in very convincing style. Kari was handed a 10 second penalty because of the accident with Ticktum and that cost him his third place. In the final results Arjun was listed in 12^th and Juan Manuel in 16^th.

The last race of the 2017 season traditionally takes place together with F1 at Abu Dhabi (UAE), on the weekend of 26^th November 2017.

Championship standings after 14 out of 16 races:

1^st George Russell (GB), 190 points; 2^nd Jack Aitken (GB), 140 points; 3^rd Nirei Fukuzumi (JPN), 134 points; 4^th Anthoine Hubert (F), 117 points; 5^th Giuliano Alesi (F), 100 points; 6^th Alessio Lorandi (I), 82 points; 9^th Arjun Maini (IND), 53 points

2017 GP3 Series

For more information:

• www.gp3series.com
• www.italiaracing.net