A week after winning their fifth title from six participations in the GP3 series, ART Grand Prix secured the double by taking the drivers crown in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Just 2 points shy of Luca Ghiotto before the two final races of the year, Esteban Ocon and ART Grand Prix held their destiny in their hands and knew they could count on the support of team-mates, Marvin Kirchhöfer and Alfonso Celis Junior to get the job done.
Marvin began his weekend with the fastest time in free practice, which was soon imitated by Esteban in qualifying. First and third on the starting grid for race one, the two teammates had good starts that saw them retain their places on the first lap. Esteban however had a brief off track stint and was later penalized with a five seconds added to his race time. Consequently, the Frenchman tried to pull out the largest possible gap over his pursuers while Marvin, who was up into second place, held Emil Bernstorff in check with a heroic defense. Winner on the track but reclassified to 4th place, 2 seconds behind Marvin, who then inherited the victory, Esteban was pleased to finish the race ahead of his rival in the championship, Luca Ghiotto (5th) and headed into the last race 6 points ahead of the Italian. Meanhwile, Alfonso Celis Junior endured a complicated weekend and was hit with several setbacks. The Mexican driver qualified down in 22nd place and dropped out after three laps due to a collision. The next day, Alfonso moved up three places to complete his season in 19th place.
Sixth on the grid for the final race of the year, Esteban made a decisive start, moving ahead of Ghiotto and Parry. On the 3rd lap, the Frenchman tried to move up on the two leading drivers while still protecting his tires and smartly holding off attacks from Luca Ghiotto. Esteban won the duel and, thanks to his 14th podium in 18 races, became the sixth GP3 champion in the series history. He succeeded other winners in ART Grand Prix including Esteban Gutiérrez and Valtteri Bottas, who were crowned in 2010 and 2011. Meanwhile, finishing seventh in the second race at Abu Dhabi, Marvin Kirchhöfer concluded his second season of GP3 in 3rd place.
Alfonso Celis Junior:
It was certainly not the finale I expected. Everything went wrong from the start and I had trouble in qualifying, which means I was always going to have a tough race. As a matter of fact, it was a nightmare and I had to retire after 3 laps. The second race was more exciting but overtaking is so difficult on these long straights. I was unable to do better than P19 and that’s frustrating but I will keep only the good memories from this season and I had some very good ones. The first one is this team which is a real pleasure to work with and I’m happy they secured both titles because they really deserve them. I have been able to show what I am capable of on some occasions, like in Spa-Francorchamps, and my aim is to keep up this level of performance during the whole season in 2016.
Marvin Kirchhöfer:
First of all, congratulations to Esteban and ART Grand Prix for this second title in two weeks! It’s been a real pleasure to work with this fantastic team and I’m happy to reward the guys with a fifth win this season. I had a good start in the first race but I knew I had to keep my tires alive and I did not push too hard in the first stages. It was the right decision because I needed all my tires and concentration to keep Bernstoff at bay in the last few laps. The second race was difficult because everybody benefits from the tow of the car ahead and that makes things complicated when you want to try to get past another car. Nobody won more races than I did this season and that’s a nice achievement. But consistency was predominant in this championship and that’s what cost me a fight for the title. I had a great season with ART Grand Prix, I improved in all areas and I’m ready to take my career to the next step.
Esteban Ocon:
Fantastic! After the title in F3 last year, it’s a second title in a row in a major championship and I’m grateful to ART Grand Prix for having given me a great car and great conditions to fight for poles and wins all year long. I was frustrated to lose the first race, especially because it would have been my first win since a while, at last. But I didn’t look back, I kept focused and did the most important thing: finish in front of Ghiotto in the second race!
Sébastien Philippe (Team principal):
To win without risk is to triumph without glory, a famous quote in French literature … ART Grand Prix has encountered many risks in this incredible GP3 season; their glory and that of Esteban Ocon are richly deserved! Despite stressful circumstances with the loss of victory in the first race, Esteban made the weekend his own and became champion. It is the mark of a great driver. Marvin is made of the same metal and his list of conquests speaks for itself: 5 wins, a record in the 2015 season. He missed out on a successful weekend on one or two occasions that would have put him in a position to fight for the crown until the end. Bad luck is what characterized the last race weekend for Alfonso and ART Grand Prix is sorry for this because he deserved better. The 2015 season will remain in the collective memory of the company because we have challenged others and ourselves to progress and still be in the race for both championships. Having managed to win after an intense struggle is a source of immense satisfaction and pride.
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