user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list

Aaro Vainio flies to first win in Monaco

  • Published on 25 May 2012 15:12
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
After securing pole this morning, Finnish ace Aaro Vainio went one step better by winning the prestigious Monaco race, the first in the history of the GP3 Series. It was a debut career win in the Series for the Lotus GP driver to make a perfect start to the weekend.

With so much anticipation before the race, 26 eager drivers got their first wheel to wheel action around the famous street circuit as the race got underway in hot and sunny conditions. Vainio made the start and defended P1 but it was Atech CRS GP’s Tamas Pal Kiss who got the better of Ocean Racing Technology’s Kevin Ceccon and snuck into P2 before the first corner.

Conor Daly who had started from P8 on the grid was deemed to have made a jump start and later suffered a drive through penalty. However, after initially moving away at the start, he was unable to getaway and yellow flags were waved as miraciously all the drivers behind the American managed to avoid his Lotus GP car.

After the first lap, the Finn had already built up a 1.170s advantage over Pal Kiss and maintained his pace. With Monaco notorious as a circuit extremely hard to overtake, there were battles throughout the field, which were very intense. David Fumanelli got the jump over his MW Arden team mate Mitch Evans at the start to go P4 and then had to hold off a very determined New Zealander for the remainder of the race. There was also a titanic tussle for P6 between Daniel Abt and Antonio Felix Da Costa (Carlin), with the Portuguese star crawling all over the back of the Lotus GP star in an attempt to find a place to out-manouerve the German.

Ethan Ringel made contact with the barrier at the exit of Sainte Devote, which brought an abrupt end to his race, his Atech CRS GP was cleared under yellow flags. Meanwhile at the front of the pack, Vainio edged out his lead over his Hungarian rival and was over three seconds ahead. Marlon Stockinger (Status Grand Prix) and Tio Ellinas (Marussia Manor Racing) got into a dogfight that was too last until the chequered flag for P8, as did Alex Brundle who was defending the last points position in the top ten from Alice Powell (Status Grand Prix) and his Carlin team mate William Buller who started 15th after an imposed grid penalty from Round 1 in Barcelona.

Pal Kiss continued to try and claw back the advantage Vainio had built up and the duo pulled out a near 8 second margin over Ceccon in P3. The Finn was not going to surrender his lead and produced a lights to flag victory in Monaco to charge to the top of the Drivers Standings. Pal Kiss took P2 and Ceccon produced his best result of his GP3 career with a rostrum finish. Fumanelli maintained P4 to beat his team mate Evans home, ahead of Abt, Felix Da Costa, Stockinger, Ellinas and Brundle. (GP3Series.com)
GP3 News Status Grand Prix Lotus F1 Manor Motorsport Marussia CRS

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
195
2
Ferrari
151
3
McLaren
96
4
Mercedes
52
5
Aston Martin
40
6
Visa Cash App RB
7
7
Haas F1
5
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Team profile

Status Grand Prix
Show full profile
show sidebar