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Indonesian driver Rio Haryanto would do well to forget his stint at the Germany GP3, after he figured in two crashes during races over the weekend.

The Manor Racing Team driver failed to notch a point in Hockenheim following a three-car collision in Race 1 on Saturday and a two-car incident in Race 2 on Sunday.

Despite a frustrating spell in the fifth GP3 race of the season, Rio fell only one spot in the drivers’ standings to fifth place overall, but lost ground on the leaders as he remained stuck on 21 points.

ART Grand Prix’s Esteban Gutierrez of Mexico, the Race 2 winner, leads the table with 64 points, followed by Status GP’s Robert Wickens of Canada, who topped Race 1, with 34 points.

Saturday’s race proved full of incident with a crash as early as the 2nd lap involving Jenzer’s Nico Mullerr, RSC Mucke’s Nigel Melker, Carlin’s Lucas Foresti, MW Arden’s Miki Monras and Leonardo Cordeiro. All five were forced to retire.

However, the restart was also short-lived, with Status’s Daniel Morad, ART Grand Prix’s Alexander Rossi and MW Arden’s Michael Christensen colliding, prematurely ending the race for all three.

It was then, after the second restart, and with the race still in only its sixth lap, that Rio, Addax’s Pablo Sanchez Lopez and Mucke’s Tobias Hegewald became entangled.

Wickens, who had started second but managed to get ahead of pole-sitter Josef Newgarden of Carlin before the first crash, pulled away late in the race to take his first GP3 victory in 29 minutes and 40.96 seconds.

James Jake of Manor Racing and RSC Mucke’s Renger van der Zande rounded out the top three.

Sunday was even worse for 19-year-old Rio, as the was forced to retire from Race 2 after only one lap when Atech CRS’s Roberto Merhi hit the rear of his car.

Gutierrez went on to win the race in 32 minutes, 14.65 seconds. Two Tech 1 teammates Daniel Juncadella and Stefano Coletti completed the podium places.

In the overall standings, Rossi sits at third with 26 points, followed by Muller with 23 and then Rio.

The next series will be held in Budapest beginning on Friday. 


JG