Jolyon Palmer produced a superb performance during today's (Sunday) GP2 Sprint Race at the legendary Monza circuit to finish P3 and collect his third podium of the season.

Starting on the front-row, the 21-year-old Brit made a solid start but lost a couple of places to lie P4 by the end of the opening lap. He quickly regained a position with a great move around the outside of Stefano Coletti at Turn 1.

He then set about chasing down second-place Fabio Leimer ahead whilst also keeping Coletti at bay behind him. A mistake by Coletti though allowed Jolyon's iSport team-mate Marcus Ericsson to attack instead with the two going side-by-side through the first chicane and running wide, with Palmer just holding onto the place. The Swedish racer then tried to pass a lap later but again Jolyon was able to close the door with just two laps remaining.

In the closing stages he pulled away from Coletti to finish comfortably on the podium at the famous Italian circuit, with Davide Valsecchi securing the race win ahead of Racing's Fabio Leimer.

Speaking afterwards a delighted Palmer said: "Today was definitely eventful! I had a slightly poor start and dropped to fourth, but managed to jump Coletti back and was then holding pace quite well to the front two, and feeling quite strong that I could push forward in the second half. But then, and I'm not really sure why, maybe the tyres were going a little bit, but I just start dropping off by half distance, and it was fairly fraught trying to stay on the podium! I had some good battles with Coletti and then Marcus as well, and I'm very happy to end third because I was under quite a lot of pressure!"

Jolyon now lies 11th in the drivers' standings ahead of the final rounds of the 2012 GP2 Series which take place in Singapore on 21-23 September.
 
GP2 Monza, Sprint Race results:

1. D Valsecchi, DAMS, 21 laps
2. F Leimer, Racing, +0.4s
3. J Palmer, iSport, +7.8s
4. S Coletti, Rapax, +10.7s
5. J Cecotto, Addax, +10.9s
6. M Chilton, Carlin, +11.4s
7. M Ericsson, iSport, +11.6s
8. J Leal, Trident, +12.6s
9. S Richelmi, Trident, +13.3s
10. G VD Garde, Caterham, +14.5s