Haas F1 Team Development Driver Scores First Career GP3 Series Victory

BARCELONA, Spain (May 14, 2017) – Three days after being named a development driver for Haas F1 Team, 19-year-old Arjun Maini scored his first career GP3 Series victory Sunday at Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya.

The Indian driver for Jenzer Motorsport started second in the 19-car field and took the lead from the start, jettisoning pole winner Raoul Hyman before holding off Dorian Boccolacci.

Boccolacci made Maini earn the win, however, as the two drivers raced hard throughout the opening laps. They battled for the lead on lap five of the 17-lap contest around the 4.655-kilometer (2.892-mile), 16-turn circuit with the duo running side-by-side for a handful of corners, even touching wheels on lap six after Boccolacci dived to the inside of Maini in turn one. Maini kept his foot in the gas to stay on the outside and maintain the preferred line into turn two. It was a decisive move, and it allowed Maini to quickly distance himself from Boccolacci, creating a margin of more than six seconds when the checkered flag dropped.

Maini picked up maximum points with the victory (15) to rise to third in the championship standings, eight behind series leader Nirei Fukuzumi.

Fellow Haas F1 Team development driver Santino Ferrucci finished eighth to claim the final point. He is 10th in the standings, 26 points out of first.

Sunday’s race at Barcelona marked the second of 16 races on the 2017 GP3 Series schedule. The series returns to action July 7-9 at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.