Vietoris takes a lights-to-flag win at Monza
Christian Vietoris took a lights-to-flag victory in the GP2 finale at Monza, while Luca Filippi sealed second in the championship with fifth place
Racing Engineering's Vietoris jumped into the lead from third on the grid at the start, as he and Rapax driver Fabio Leimer got ahead of polesitter Jules Bianchi (ART).
From there, the top two pulled away in the early laps. They fell back into the clutches of Bianchi and Sam Bird (iSport) when Vietoris had to defend for a couple of laps, but as he opened out a small margin over Leimer they were both able to get away from the chasing pack again.
Bianchi could do nothing about the leaders and instead had to turn his attentions to keeping Bird and Filippi at bay. Bird dropped back during the last couple of laps, while Coloni driver Filippi recovered from going straight on at the first chicane to set fastest lap and earn an extra point.
That put him clear of Bianchi in the standings, but the Italian was on course for second even if they tied on points because he has more race wins.
Of the other contenders for second, Addax driver Charles Pic's race lasted only two corners as he collided with Filippi at the start and ran over the back of Romain Grosjean's DAMS car.
Filippi escaped relatively unscathed, while Grosjean rejoined two laps down with a new rear wing to complete his final GP2 race.
Giedo van der Garde climbed from 21st to 14th in the other Addax car, completing a miserable end to the season which cost him the runner-up spot to Grosjean.
Results - 21 laps:
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Christian Vietoris Racing Engineering 32m51.770s
2. Fabio Leimer Rapax + 0.730s
3. Jules Bianchi ART + 2.851s
4. Sam Bird iSport + 3.556s
5. Luca Filippi Coloni + 4.010s
6. Esteban Gutierrez ART + 10.957s
7. Dani Clos Racing Engineering + 11.584s
8. Marcus Ericsson iSport + 16.079s
9. Luiz Razia AirAsia + 17.619s
10. Pal Varhaug DAMS + 19.814s
11. Adam Carroll Super Nova + 22.136s
12. Alvaro Parente Carlin + 22.617s
13. Giedo van der Garde Addax + 22.966s
14. Stephane Richelmi Trident + 24.538s
15. Johnny Cecotto Ocean + 35.241s
16. Rodolfo Gonzalez Trident + 35.408s
17. Josef Kral Arden + 35.681s
18. Max Chilton Carlin + 36.244s
19. Jolyon Palmer Arden + 37.728s
20. Brendon Hartley Ocean + 1m23.392s
21. Romain Grosjean DAMS + 2 laps
Retirements:
Davide Valsecchi AirAsia 12 laps
Charles Pic Addax 0 laps
Julian Leal Rapax 0 laps
Fairuz Fauzy Super Nova 0 laps
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