Motorsport: Kiwi teen Evans tops GP3 table

Mitch Evans is now leading the GP3 Championship after an excellent weekend at Valencia. Photo / Supplied

Teenage New Zealand motor racing driver Mitch Evans has extended his lead in the European GP3 series to four points after finishing fourth in the second race of the weekend in Valencia, Spain yesterday.

The 17-year-old Evans had taken over the lead in the championship by a point after his third place finish in the opening race of the round on Sunday morning (NZT) and then extended that advantage after the reverse top eight grid race.

Evans started the second race sixth on the grid, but slipped back a place after being beaten off the mark by his MW Arden teammate Lewis Williamson. But Evans reclaimed the place on the third lap and then moved up to fourth after a double passing move later in the 14-lap race on the street circuit.

The lead in the championship was the perfect present for Evans who turned 17 on Friday, and he now has 26 points, four ahead of former leader Nigel Melker who failed to score any points over the weekend.

Earlier yesterday Evans was third in the opening race of the round, improving one place from his starting place to finish 7.4 seconds behind the winner, England's Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and less than a second back from teammate Williamson.

- NZPA