Canada's Daniel Morad and the Status team picked up their maiden GP3 race victory on Sunday by winning the morning's race at Silverstone. Having taken the lead at the start, the 20-year-old pulled away to eventually lead home pole-sitter Mirko Bortolotti and Alexander Rossi.
Overnight rain meant conditions weren’t ideal for the thirty strong grid, but Morad made the perfect start from second taking a lights-to-flag victory over his rivals.
Addax Team’s Mirko Bortolotti got bogged down at the start and was unable to capitalise on his reverse pole position. The Ferrari development driver was chased down by Dean Smith into the first corner and the pair fought wheel to wheel before hard pushing Carlin driver Smith went wide allowing three cars to pass – he eventually rejoined in eighth spot. At the same time, Jenzer’s Nico Müller passed ART Grand Prix’s Alexander Rossi for third position.
Yesterday’s race winner Esteban Gutiérrez was moving up the grid fast, and whilst Rossi and Müller were busy fighting for third the Mexican made his way past Status GP’s Robert Wickens taking fourth spot. By Lap 8, Gutiérrez had found his way past team-mate Rossi and had his sights set on Müller, the Jenzer driver eventually locking up allowing Gutiérrez and team-mate Rossi both passed.
With just three laps remaining Müller had to defend fiercely from a racy Wickens in sixth. Morad was 2.2 seconds up the road with victory in sight, and Gutiérrez made quick work of catching Bortolotti in second ensuring a great battle for the remaining two laps.
The pair were fighting tooth and nail for second spot allowing Rossi to catch up and join the podium fight. All three drove with gritted determination and it was clear this would be no easy ride to the chequered flag. With just a few corners to go Bortolotti squeezed Gutiérrez on the grass allowing Rossi through into third. Gutiérrez managed to take the place back around the outside of his team-mate but couldn’t make it stick allowing Rossi was back into the final podium spot.
By the time the chequered flag dropped it was still impossible to tell who would come out on top, the pair finally crossing the line split by just 0.08 of a second. Rossi just managed to edge ahead after getting a better exit out of the last corner.
Nico Müller finished in fifth spot ahead of Robert Wickens who took the final point of the race. Daniel Morad has now moved up into sixth in the driver’s standings after his excellent win and fastest lap.
Gutiérrez is still out in front with 51 points, and his ART team-mate Rossi has moved back into second with 25 points. Jenzer’s Nico Müller is in third with 22 points after his great weekend.
Rounds 9 and 10 will be staged in Germany in two weeks' time
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