GP3: Parry takes commanding first victory

Koiranen GP driver Matt Parry claimed his first GP3 win with a dominant performance in the first race at the Hungaroring ahead of Trident's Antonio Fuoco.

Polesitter Nyck de Vries stalled on the grid ahead of the formation lap and the ART driver was forced to start from the pitlane, which meant Parry led when the lights went out.

Ferrari Formula 1 junior Fuoco challenged Parry on the run down to the first corner and kept on applying the pressure around the outside of the long right-hander, but the Briton held on and escaped into a lead that he would not lose.

With little degradation affecting the drivers, Parry eased home by 3.2 seconds over Fuoco, with Jake Dennis third a further second behind to claim his first GP3 podium spot.

ART's Nirei Fukuzumi got close to Arden driver Dennis by the chequered flag but had to settle for fourth ahead of Koiranen's Ralph Boschung, who had deposed championship leader Charles Leclerc for fifth in a rare overtaking move in the early stages.

Indeed the race's action was largely confined to the midfield on the first lap, when Giuliano Alesi, Tatiana Calderon, Steijn Schothorst and Jake Hughes came together in an incident through the top chicane and its exit, which forced Hughes to pit for repairs.

Alexander Albon finished seventh for ART; one spot behind his title rival Leclerc, with Arjun Maini eighth for Jenzer Motorsport, which gives the Indian driver reverse grid pole for Sunday's second race. Jack Aitken and Kevin Jorg rounded out the top 10 for Arden and DAMS.

De Vries set numerous rapid lap times as he attempted to recover from his pitlane start, but the McLaren junior ultimately ended up 20th despite several opportunistic passes late in the race.

Leclerc's points lead is now up to four ahead of Albon, who has been joined on 90 by Fuoco.

RESULTS - 22 LAPS:

Originally on Autosport.com