Premat takes controversial win
Alex Premat took his first GP2 win of the season in controversial circumstances, after he tipped leader Lewis Hamilton into a spin on the final lap
Hamilton had been the long term leader. After a slow start he pitted early and worked his way into second, which became the lead when pole sitter Nelson Piquet Jr was given a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pitlane.
ART seemed set for a comfortable 1-2, but in the closing stages Premat closed right in on teammate Hamilton.
Under braking for the tight right hander, the Frenchman drew alongside the Briton, and under acceleration there was contact as they went wheel-to-wheel and Hamilton spun.
Hamilton quickly recovered to hold onto second, and with Piquet back in fourth after a charging fightback, the pair are now level on points at the head of the championship.
Michael Ammermuller took third. The Arden driver came under huge pressure from Clivio Piccione in the closing stages until the DPR driver spun at the final corner.
Tristan Gommendy took fifth, Ferdinando Monfardini an excellent sixth, while Xandi Negrao took seventh.
The final point, and DPR's first of the season, went to Olivier Pla, who will now start on pole for tomorrow's sprint race.
CLASSIFIED:
Pos Driver Team Time
1. Premat ART Grand Prix 57:24.150
2. Hamilton ART Grand Prix + 2.187
3. Ammermuller Arden International Ltd + 10.963
4. Piquet Jr. Piquet Sports + 11.720
5. Gommendy iSport International + 13.005
6. Monfardini DAMS + 14.848
7. Negrao Piquet Sports + 20.113
8. Pla DPR Direxiv + 23.000
9. Viso iSport International + 31.742
10. Pantano FMS International + 33.713
11. Carroll Racing Engineering + 38.173
12. Glock BCN Competicion + 48.660
13. Di Grassi Durango + 53.303
14. Perera DAMS + 62.590
15. Villa Racing Engineering + 67.219
16. Tahinci FMS International + 67.539
17. Piccione DPR Direxiv + 1 Lap
18. Porteiro Campos Racing + 1 Lap
19. Valles Campos Racing + 2 Laps
NOT CLASSIFIED:
Driver Team Laps
Lapierre Arden International Ltd 34
Lopez Super Nova International 22
Bruni Trident Racing 22
Yoshimoto BCN Competicion 20
Zuber Trident Racing 16
Hernandez Durango 16
Fauzy Super Nova International 15
Fastest lap: Valles, 1:25.550 on lap 37
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