Esteban Gutierrez has won today's GP3 Series feature race at in a classic slipstreaming battle at Monza, although the newly crowned champion had to work hard for the victory.
Gutierrez started from pole but quickly found himself engaged in a six-way fight with Nico Muller, Robert Wickens, Roberto Merhi, Rio Haryanto and Renger van der Zande.
The group spent the majority of the race covered by just over two seconds and positions changed frequently, with Muller, Wickens and Haryanto all enjoying stints in the lead, and Gutierrez falling as far back as fifth. The six contenders became five when van der Zande's Mucke entry slowed and forced the Dutchman into the pits, continuing his immensely unlucky season.
Shortly afterward, Gutierrez made what would prove to be the decisive move of the race when he darted out of Wicken's slipstream to pass the Canadian into the first corner three laps from the end of the race. With a clear track ahead the ART drive managed to open a gap of a second to secure the victory, leaving Wickens and Haryanto to complete the podium.
Muller was fourth, with Mirko Bortolotti, Merhi, Josef Newgarden and Nigel Melker rounding out the points, although the result could change depending upon the outcome of an investigation into an incident involving Wickens and Muller when the pair were scrapping over the lead in the early stages of the race.