Trident's David Beckmann snatched victory from Arden's Joey Mawson in a dramatic last-lap shootout at the Sochi Autodrom, as Anthoine Hubert extended his GP3 title advantage.
Mawson had pointed his car towards ART's Jake Hughes at the start and instantly chopped across the British driver as the lights went out, the Australian was then able to maintain his lead over the cars behind for 14 out of the 15 laps.
On Lap 14 a Virtual Safety Car was called to allow marshals to collect the wreckage of Nikita Mazepin's ART, after the home favourite locked up and went wide into Turn 13, terminally hitting the wall on corner exit.
The VSC period drew Mawson and Beckmann back together, the duo having briefly battled mid-race, and they began the final lap separated by a handful of car lengths.
Beckmann pulled alongside on the run to Turn 13 and snatched the lead from Mawson with just one sector of the race remaining.
Richard Verschoor continued his impressive form in the MP Motorsport car and stood on the final step of the podium for the first time since switching to GP3 at the Belgian round of the championship; he was in the battle for the lead on the final lap but chose not to get involved to secure the result.
Hubert's championship lead has now been extended to 32 points in the wake of Mazepin's crash, and the ART driver has the opportunity to clinch the crown in the opening Abu Dhabi race in November.
Jenzer's Juan Manuel Correa put in a solid performance to bring his car across the line in fifth place as he tried to hunt down Hubert in the closing laps of the race.
The second Arden of Gabriel Aubry had settle for sixth place after trying to fend off Tatiana Calderon throughout the race after the Colombian driver was unable to get close enough to the Frenchman to make the pass.
Campos' Leonardo Pulcini crossed the line in eighth place to collect the final point after slipping back initially at the start of the race.
Ryan Tveter made ground through the field to finish in ninth place after a torrid feature left him starting in 16th, Jannes Fittje rounded the top 10 with his best finish of the season so far.
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