Harvey wins GP3 race 2 at Monza

Jack Harvey won the second race of round seven of the GP3 Series at Monza, holding off a charging Daniil Kvyat to the finish of a wild contest.

Poleman Patric Niederhauser stalled at the start, and was almost missed by everyone but Jenzer teammate Alex Fontana, who struck him so hard that his left-front wheel was sent sailing into the catch fencing at the pitlane exit.

A first-corner pile-up then ensured the safety car was required, as Ryan Cullen went over the back of Trident's Giovani Venturini and then collected Venturini's teammate David Fumanelli.

At the restart, Harvey (ART) held sway ahead of the fast-starting Alexander Sims (Carlin) and points leader Facu Regalia (ART), who had also made a fine getaway from sixth.

Regalia towed past Sims for second on the start/finish straight, then pushed the Briton all over the curbs at Rettifilo. That allowed Lewis Williamson to get a run and pass the hampered Sims at Curva Grande, and Sims lost another spot to Kevin Korjus at Roggia.

Kvyat also took great advantage soon after the restart, briefly popping into fourth place, having restarted eighth, until Korjus re-passed him at Roggia.

Williamson grabbed second from Regalia at Roggia on lap six, and two laps later Kvyat got ahead of Korjus at the same corner. Kvyat got the hammer down, and closed the gap to Regalia, importantly passing his title rival at Roggia on lap 13.

Williamson pushed in the final three laps, but slid wide in Lesmo 2 in his efforts to win, which allowed Kvyat a run on him into Ascari. Once up to second, Kvyat ran out of time to catch Harvey, finishing less than a second behind him.

"Williamson kept coming and coming until he made a mistake in the second Lesmo," said Harvey. "Then it was Danny's turn to keep coming and coming!"

Williamson finished third, ahead of Regalia, who continues to lead the championship but by a slightly reduced margin with one round remaining. He is now seven points ahead of Kvyat.

Korjus finished fifth ahead of Sims, who passed Sainz when the Spaniard ran wide at Lesmo 1 on the final lap.

In his attempts to regain lost time, Sainz went off again at Ascari, handing positions to Melville McKee and Conor Daly, the latter starring with an epic charge from the back of the grid after being taken out yesterday by the wayward, and suspended for this event, Dino Zamparelli.