DEAN Stoneman secured second place on the final weekend of the GP3 Series thanks to an emphatic win in the penultimate race.

Stoneman’s slim championship hopes ended on Friday, when he failed to qualify in pole position in Abu Dhabi.

But after starting from second on the grid,  he won the first race comfortably.

And despite having to retire on the opening lap of the second he claimed the championship runners-up spot by two points.

His fifth win - following successes in Barcelona, Spa, Monza and Sochi - means he finished with more victories than champion Alex Lynn, who he has outperformed on every GP3 weekend since joining Koiranen GP.   

Like Lewis Hamilton in today's F1 championship decider, he took the lead by overtaking his German rival - Marvin Kirchhöfer in his case - before the first turn.

And he was never under significant threat despite a third-lap safety car and the loss of a mirror.

The 24 year-old cancer survivor from Bishop’s Waltham said: “I got a great start but could see Marvin coming alongside me. I was able to hold my position into turn one but it wasn’t easy.

“Throughout the race I had to really battle with the heat; it very was hot. At one point I had sweat just pouring down my face and into my eyes.”

Speaking to gp3series.com, Dean continued: “After about lap six the rear tyres just dropped off. I just knew in myself I had to bring the car home and get the points and make sure I beat Marvin.

“I lost my right-hand wing mirror as well on the second lap and nobody will realise how hard it is to drive a GP3 car with no wing mirror.

“So we had that issue but I kept it smooth and tried to look after the tyres. I could see Marvin had a little hiccup after the first few laps, but I made a good re-start after the safety car.”

After taking 68 points from three races since joining Koiranen GP, he made another great start in the final race, despite starting from the fourth row of a reversed grid following his emphatic victory on Saturday.

Stoneman, who began the final race two points ahead of third-placed Kirchhöfer, enjoyed another great start but sustained terminal damage to the rear of his car while moving up to sixth.

He and his team watched to see if Kirchhöfer, the only other driver who could challenge the 24-year old for second place, could finish sixth or higher.

With 163 points versus 161 it was going to be close.  But as the race finished, it was smiles all round as the German finished 12th.

“I made a good start and was starting to make up places but halfway through the opening lap I felt an impact at the rear and could see the rear wing was damaged and had collapsed," said Stoneman.

"There was no use trying to fix it as it would take too long; so it was race over.” 

Stoneman continued: “I’m delighted to finish the season as championship runner-up.   This has been my first full season back in international single-seaters and it’s been tough at times, including having to change teams.  

"I have to thank Koiranen GP, they have been superb and have given me a great car which has allowed me to have a strong end to the season.  We now need to see what I will move on to next year. ”  

Stoneman will remain at Yas Marina for three days of GP3 testing with Koiranen GP as he weighs up his options for 2015.