Foresti takes Carlin’s first GP3 podium

09 May 2010

Lucas Foresti took Carlin's first GP3 podium finish today in race two at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. The 17 year-old Brazilian drove a superb race to hold off the attacks of Esteban Gutierrez and take second place, while Dean Smith took his second points paying finish of the weekend in fifth. Josef Newgarden finished in an impressive 16th place having started from 28th on the grid. Having taken four top seven finishes this weekend, Carlin sit second in the teams' championship standings following the inaugural GP3 event.

Just days before his 18th birthday, Foresti lined up in second place for the final GP3 race of the weekend. A stalled car at the back of the grid resulted in an aborted start, but when the field did finally get away, Foresti and pole sitter Alexander Rossi found themselves immediately under attack from the cars behind. Foresti was initially forced wide as the cars thundered down to the first corner, but managed to just stay on track despite losing part of his front wing. Team mate Smith meanwhile was on the opposite side of the track enduring a similar battle on the edge of the tarmac. Both cars made it round the first lap safely, with Foresti P2 and Smith P5. Newgarden meanwhile was fighting his way back up the field from 28th on the grid and had already made it up to 19th by the end of lap one.

The safety car came out at the end of lap one to clear away a start lap accident, but once racing got underway again on lap three Foresti defended his position well to maintain second place. Behind him, Smith was also running a strong race and defending from sixth placed man Robert Wickens. The pair tussled for a number of laps until Wickens found a way past on lap nine.

Foresti meanwhile was under attack from Esteban Gutierrez in a fight that proved to be one of the highlights of the race. By lap nine the pair were side by side, but Foresti held his ground and managed to open up the gap.

Following his fourth placed finish yesterday, Smith was looking good for another points paying finish today, and made up one further place to fifth when Jean-Eric Vergne was dealt a drive-through penalty. Newgarden meanwhile was driving a strong race despite suffering from a bout of the flu and made up places when drivers in front of him served drive-through penalties for not slowing for yellow flags and went on to cross the line in 16th place.

At the front Foresti had done enough to fend off the attentions of Gutierrez and take his first podium in GP3 and in European racing. Speaking about his race, Foresti said, "I'm really pleased to have finished on the podium. Both me and [Alexander] Rossi made not great starts and I had to fight hard to maintain my position. It was a pretty difficult race and I had to focus constantly not to mistake. I just wanted to drive my own race and concentrate on my position. We had a good car; it was very balanced, even though we lost part of the front wing at the start. I am really happy with this second place and happy for the team, they did a great job this weekend."

Trevor Carlin added "I'm absolutely over the moon with Lucas's performance this weekend, he has come to a very difficult championship and raced his heart out to bring the team our first ever GP3 podium. I think we proved this weekend that we have a very good car and I'm very confident about the season ahead."