Monaco Grand Prix - Race 1

Richelmi claims maiden GP2 win

25-05-2014

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Local hero Stephane Richelmi led a processional GP2 sprint race in Monaco from start to finish on Saturday afternoon.

The result was his first victory in the series and made it two from two for the DAMS team this weekend, following on from team-mate Jolyon Palmer's feature race win on Friday.

Richelmi just held off Caterham's Rio Haryanto at the first corner, with Haryanto getting squeezed wide at Sainte Devote so Sergio Canamasas of Trident sneaked past him into second on the exit.

Canamasas put Richelmi under huge pressure throughout the race, and even when Canamasas straightlined the Nouvelle Chicane at two-thirds distance, the Spaniard was able to close right up again.

But Richelmi had something in reserve, pulling out a two-second lead in the closing stages to record a famous win on home turf.

Haryanto finished third, over six second behind Canamasas.

Trident's Johnny Cecotto Jr finished a very distant fourth, holding off a huge train that comprised the majority of the field.

Arthur Pic chased him home, ahead of Mitch Evans, Palmer and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs.

Friday podium finisher Felipe Nasr went out at Mirabeau on the opening lap, skating off the track with a puncture sustained moments earlier at Casino Square.

The race was interrupted briefly by a safety car after Artem Markelov smote the barrier at Ste Devote, dislodging a chunk of the Tecpro barrier.