28/05/2016
NEWS STORY
Nobuharu Matsushita has claimed his first win of the season with a stunning display of power and precision to dominate his rivals in this afternoon's sprint race in Monaco, leading from lights to flag ahead of Marvin Kirchhofer and Raffaele Marciello.
The Japanese driver became the fourth winner from as many races in the 2016 season, with the victory set up at the start: Matsushita was slightly slow off the line as the lights went out but pole position gave him a better line into Ste. Devote than Kirchhöfer, who was faster away from the front row but was unable to capitalise into the first turn.
Behind them Marciello boxed in a fast starting Mitch Evans, with Norman Nato sliding inside Oliver Rowland but unable to get by Alex Lynn as the field stormed up the hill towards Casino: yesterday's winner Artem Markelov was soon all over Rowland's rear wing, but was unable to replicate his overtaking prowess against the Briton.
With a huge battle shaking out for the minor points positions Matsushita just pulled away to leave them to their own devices, with the rest of the field unable to compete on pace. A VSC period to remove Sean Gelael's stricken car from the Ste. Devote barriers did nothing to halt the Japanese driver's progress, and when teammate Sergey Sirotkin ground to a halt at Casino ART was able to concentrate 100% on what mattered: claiming the win at this fabled circuit.
Matsushita seemed able to claim the fastest lap at will, with only Nato able to compete on pace but with too much traffic to do much with it. The pair traded fast laps as the clock wound down, but there was only ever going to be one result: Matsushita grabbed the fastest lap bragging rights along with a stunning victory by over 13 seconds from Kirchhofer and Marciello, with Evans crossing the line a lonely fourth, well ahead of a train comprising of Lynn, Nato, Rowland and Markelov, all of whom must have been cursing the lack of overtaking opportunities on the tight, twisty circuit.
At least Nato could raise a smile after regaining the lead in the drivers' title from Markelov, 49 points to 48, with Lynn on 41, Pierre Gasly unable to add to his Barcelona haul on 33, and Marciello on 28 ahead of Matsushita and Rowland 22 points each, while RUSSIAN TIME leave the principality at the top of the teams' standing on 76 points from Racing Engineering on 65, DAMS on 61 PREMA Racing on 35 and Carlin on 28 points as they prepare for the debut race in Baku 3 weeks hence.
Monaco – Sprint Race
1. Nobuharu Matsushita ART Grand Prix
2. Marvin Kirchhöfer Carlin
3. Raffaele Marciello RUSSIAN TIME
4. Mitch Evans Pertamina Campos Racing
5. Alex Lynn DAMS
6. Norman Nato Racing Engineering
7. Oliver Rowland MP Motorsport
8. Artem Markelov RUSSIAN TIME
9. Arthur Pic Rapax
10. Sergio Canamasas Carlin
11. Daniël de Jong MP Motorsport
12. Gustav Malja Rapax
13. Pierre Gasly PREMA Racing
14. Luca Ghiotto Trident
15. Jimmy Eriksson Arden International
16. Jordan King Racing Engineering
17. Nabil Jeffri Arden International
18. Antonio Giovinazzi PREMA Racing
Fastest Lap : Matsushita (ART Grand Prix) 1:21.554 (lap 28)
Not Classified
Nicholas Latifi DAMS
Sergey Sirotkin ART Grand Prix
Sean Gelael Pertamina Campos Racing
Philo Paz Armand Trident
Drivers Standings after Monaco (Round 2)
| Pos | Name | Nat | Team | Points |
| 1 | Nato | FRA | Racing Engineering | 49 |
| 2 | Markelov | RUS | Russian Time | 48 |
| 3 | Lynn | GBR | DAMS | 41 |
| 4 | Gasly | FRA | Prema Racing | 33 |
| 5 | Marciello | ITA | Russian Time | 28 |
| 6 | Rowland | GBR | MP Motorsport | 22 |
| 7 | Matsushita | JPN | ART Grand Prix | 22 |
| 8 | Latifi | CAN | DAMS | 20 |
| 9 | Evans | NZL | Pertamina Campos Racing | 18 |
| 10 | Kirchhofer | GER | Carlin | 18 |
| 11 | King | GBR | Racing Engineering | 16 |
| 12 | Canamasas | GBR | Carlin | 10 |
| 13 | Sirotkin | RUS | ART Grand Prix | 4 |
| 14 | Malja | SWE | Rapax | 2 |
| 15 | de Jong | NED | MP Motorsport | 2 |
| 16 | Pic | FRA | Rapax | 1 |
Team standings after Monaco (Round 2)
| Pos | Team | Points |
| 1 | Russian Time | 76 |
| 2 | Racing Engineering | 65 |
| 3 | DAMS | 61 |
| 4 | Prema Racing | 33 |
| 5 | Carlin | 28 |
| 6 | ART Grand Prix | 26 |
| 7 | MP Motorsport | 24 |
| 8 | Pertamina Campos Racing | 18 |
| 9 | Rapax | 3 |