Briton continues incredible journey from gamer to racer
Sunday 20 July 2014 12:03, UK
Jann Mardenborough’s incredible journey from gamer to racer continued as he clinched his maiden GP3 victory in Race Two at Hockenheim.
The Arden International driver made a good clean start with Dino Zamparelli stealing a position from Jimmy Eriksson Eriksson to sneak into second. Series leader Alex Lynn was also on the move and was up to fourth, demoting Nick Yelloly.
There was contact on lap one between Sebastian Balthasar and Pal Varhaug, the Norwegian driver having to retire from damage sustained in the incident.
Mardenborough held an advantage of just under a second to Zamparelli, with a small gap forming back to Eriksson in third. Red Bull Junior driver Lynn was on the attack and began pressuring the Swede for the rostrum place whilst a juicy battle for sixth developed between Emil Bernstorff, Dean Stoneman and Race One winner Marvin Kirchhofer.
Kirchhofer made contact with Bernstorff, the two collided and both ended their race prematurely in the pitlane. At the midway point of the race, Mardenborough increased his lead at the front to 2.5 seconds, whilst Stoneman continued to fight through the pack with Yelloly his next victim.
As the laps ticked down with drivers’ managing tyre degradation, nobody was going to stop Mardenborough from pocketing his first win in the category – and the first of the campaign for Arden International after a lights to flag victory.
Zamparelli achieved his best result in GP3 with second, whilst Eriksson maintained his consistency with an important podium, keeping his Series rival Lynn at bay in fourth. Stoneman, Yelloly, Patric Niederhauser and Richie Stanaway completed the points’ positions.
GP3 Race Two - Germany
1) Jann Mardenborough (GBR) – Arden International – 27:48.880
2) Dino Zamparelli (GBR) – ART Grand Prix - +3.860
3) Jimmy Eriksson (SWE) – Koiranen GP - +6.196
4) Alex Lynn (GBR) – Carlin - +7.087
5) Dean Stoneman (GBR) – Marussia Manor Racing - +8.688
6) Nick Yelloly (GBR) – Status Grand Prix - +9.169
7) Patric Niederhauser (SUI) – Arden International - +10.046
8) Richie Stanaway (NZL) – Status Grand Prix - +13.158
9) Ricciardo Agostini (ITA) – Hilmer Motorsport - +13.502
10) Robert Visoiu (ROU) – Arden International - +14.251
Selected others
19) Ryan Cullen (GBR) – Marussia Manor Racing - +42.308
Drivers' Championship
1) Alex Lynn - 112
2) Jimmy Eriksson - 94
3) Marvin Kirchhofer - 80
4) Emil Bernstorff - 73
5) Richie Stanaway - 69