31 Jul 2011

Evans sidelined in Hungary

1:02 pm on 31 July 2011

The New Zealand driver Mitch Evans' chances of regaining the lead in the European GP3 Series were dashed on the first lap in the feature race of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend in Budapest.

Evans qualified third fastest but damaged his front right suspension in a coming together with front row starter James Calado at the second corner.

Evans limped back to the pits to retire and will start tonight's 'reverse top eight grid' race from the back of the 30 car field.

The outcome of the 16-lap feature race in Hungary has dramatically changed the overall points in the GP3 championship.

Valtteri Bottas won the race after starting from pole position.

However, Englishman Alexander Sims who was leading the series before this weekend was disqualified for an unspecified technical infringement after finishing fourth on the road.

Sims will start the Sunday race in Budapest from the back of the grid with Evans; and drops to second in the points.

Bottas, who was only sixth in the points going into the sixth round, has inherited the overall lead in a single day.

After ten different drivers won the first ten races of the very competitive 2011 GP3 season, Bottas becomes the first double winner.

Evans went into the weekend tied for second but is now 8pts off the lead in the GP3 Series, dropping back to be in a four way tie for fourth overall.

Bottas now leads with 36pts from Sims on 34pts, Lewis Williamson on 31pts and Evans, Nigel Melker and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs on 28pts.