Charles Leclerc crowned 2016 GP3 champion

Charles Leclerc has clinched the 2016 GP3 championship after the first race of the weekend at Abu Dhabi.

Leclerc took the title, despite retiring from the race after suffering damage from contact with Santino Ferruci at turn eleven. His championship was handed to him after rival Alexander Albon also retired.

Nyck De Vries won the race after inheriting the lead when Albon and Jack Aitken collided on lap 11 after going wheel to wheel through the sector. Albon tried to overtake around the outside of turn eleven but clipped the kerb which launched him over Aitken. Jake Dennis finished in second while Aitken trailed home in third, despite the collision.

Kevin Joerg finished fourth while Nirei Fukuzumi came home in fifth. Coming across the line in sixth was Steijn Schothorst ahead of Jake Hughes in seventh.

Konstantin Tereschenko was eighth, finishing in front of Santino Ferruci (who received a time penalty for the Leclerc accident) and Alex Palou who completed the top ten.

Leclerc becomes the seventh GP3 champion and confirmed earlier this month that he was in talks to compete in GP2 next year. One race still remains for the GP3 season, with it taking place early Sunday morning.