25 Jul 2011

Evans holds onto second

4:31 pm on 25 July 2011

The two points Mitch Evans won for claiming pole position during the qualifying session for the Saturday feature race of the GP3 Series at the Nurburgring in Germany have allowed the New Zealander to hold onto second overall after five rounds.

However, for the second round running the Evans scored no race points despite being right on the race pace.

In the 15 lap feature race at the German Grand Prix meeting Evans was leading comfortably when race officials ordered him to pit for a 10 second stop-go penalty because his team had not finished fitting his wheels by the three minute signal before the race start.

That setback dropped Evans to 20th.

In last night's 'reverse top eight' race Evans made a storming start and had moved up to 12th place during the opening lap only to be hit by another car at the chicane.

Evans had to limp slowly back to the pits to change a punctured front left tyre.

He rejoined to finish 22nd.

However, the points earned for pole position have kept him within 6pts of GP3 Series leader Alexander Sims.

The Englishman has 34pts while Evans and his MW Arden team mate Lewis Williamson both now have 28pts and share second place.

Just 10pts cover the top six drivers going into the sixth round at the Hungarian Grand Prix next weekend.