European F3 Spa: Antonio Giovinazzi handed grid penalty for contact

The Italian has been punished for contact with Felix Rosenqvist at Les Combes as they battled for the lead with just under three laps remaining.

The incident ended Giovinazzi's race with a puncture on his Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, while Rosenqvist had to go down the escape road, promoting eventual race winner Charles Leclerc into the lead.

Rosenqvist continued with minor damage to his front wing, although he finished in second place.

Leclerc's win allowed him to leapfrog Giovinazzi for the championship lead.

Giovinazzi qualified only 12th for race two, although he set a time good enough for sixth on the grid a split-second after the session-ending red flag appeared.

With Sam MacLeod and Pietro Fittipaldi excluded from the session, that temporarily promoted him to 10th, meaning he will likely start 15th on the grid pending any other penalties to other drivers.

Le Mans 24 Hours hero Emanuele Pirro, who raced successfully in the initial incarnation of the European F3 Championship in the early 1980s, has joined the stewards for Spa - his first of what is understood to be two weekends officiating for the series.

Pirro is also a member of the FIA Drivers' Commission.