DAMS driver Alex Lynn returned to the top step of the podium to score his first win of the 2016 GP2 season in the Barcelona sprint race.
He finished just three tenths clear of Prema Racing’s Pierre Gasly to claim his first victory in GP2 since last year’s Hungary feature race. His advantage was cut due to a late safety car.
The interruption was caused by a big crash for Antonio Giovinazzi after contact with Sean Gelael on the run to Turn 10, as he tried to make a move on the Campos driver.
Raffaele Marciello started on pole position but soon dropped down the order as the race progressed. He held the lead for a couple of laps before Lynn, who lined up third on the grid, hit the front, having passed Jordan King on the opening tour.
He managed to eke out a comfortable lead, with his advantage being 2.3 seconds over Gasly – who had gradually moved up the order after starting fifth – by lap 16.
The safety car bunched up the field but it only released the field on the final lap, giving Lynn a clear run to the flag to claim victory. Gasly was second and King finished third.
Artem Markelov and Marciello were fourth and fifth for RUSSIAN TIME and Oliver Rowland made good progress to finish sixth for MP Motorsport.
Nicholas Latifi lost ground late on and finished seventh, while the final point went to Nobuharu Matsushita after a late pass on Sergio Canamasas before the safety car.
Gustav Malja completed the top 10, with Sergey Sirotkin putting in a strong recovery after starting 21st to finish 11th. Luca Ghiotto lined up just behind him on the grid and was 12th.
Gelael made the finish in 13th, with team-mate Mitch Evans 14th after a disastrous first weekend with Campos at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Marvin Kirchhofer finished ahead of feature race winner Norman Nato, with Daniel de Jong, Nabil Jeffri and Jimmy Eriksson were the final drivers classified.
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