GP3 returns this weekend for the third round of the 2017 season at Silverstone, completing the first of two back-to-back rounds on the calendar.

A predictable Drivers’ Championship battle is already starting to emerge between ART’s drivers, with Nirei Fukuzumi leading by one point over George Russell.

Anthoine Hubert and Jack Aitken are third and fifth, sandwiching Jenzer’s Alessio Lorandi, with the Renault academy driver 26 behind the Honda junior.

This event marks one year since Haas development driver Arjun Maini made his debut for Jenzer, and the first points finishes for Maini, fellow Haas-backed racer Santino Ferrucci and Steijn Schothorst.

 

Malcolm Griffiths/GP3 Media Service

Qualifying

The qualifying lap record at the track is a 1m46.360s, set by Koiranen GP driver Kevin Korjus in 2013.

Last year’s pole was set by Alexander Albon for ART, a 1m47.348s.

Another pole for the French team in 2017 would be its third in a row at the circuit, its fourth overall, and 11th straight fastest time since 2016’s opening round.

The polesitter has gone on to win the feature on four of seven occasions (57%), including every year since 2014.

Daniel Kalisz/LAT Photographic

Feature Race (20 laps)

On average, the winner has a margin of 2.781s above the runner-up, with the last three years having the smallest gaps.

Antonio Felix da Costa triumphed by the largest-ever time of 7.062s in 2012, while Marvin Kirchhofer’s 2015 success was the smallest at 0.302s.

Every race has involved one driver running away with the race and leading throughout.

An average of 23 classified finishers have completed the first contest.

There has only been one safety-car period during this event, in 2013, consisting of five laps.

Zak Mauger/GP3 Series Media Service

Sprint Race (15 laps)

Britain’s sprint race winner has an average advantage of 3.506s over the second-place finisher.

The highest deficit for the runner-up to the winner is 8.577s when Will Buller took the victory in 2012. Last year’s event had the smallest-ever – 0.459s when Antonio Fuoco claimed all 15 points.

This race has had one dominant leader on five occasions, with 2012 and 2016’s races both having three drivers at the front.

On average, 22 drivers complete this final session of the weekend.

There have only been two safety-car periods in the second race, both coming in 2016, running for four laps.

Jakob Ebrey/GP3 Media Service

Past Champions

A racer has not won at any stage of this round and gone on to become champion since Esteban Gutierrez in 2010.

Charles Leclerc (second, third), Mitch Evans, Alex Lynn and Esteban Ocon (all second) have all stood on the podium.

Daniil Kvyat (retirement, 16th) and Valtteri Bottas (15th, 12th) are the only two drivers not to get near to the top-three at Silverstone.

This means that 71.43% of past champions have finished in the top-three here, while just 14.29% have claimed victory.

Action gets underway on Thursday with practice at 4.45pm.