Monza 2006: Title undecided as Pantano takes glory

Giorgio Pantano threw a spanner in the spokes of the GP2 Series title fight by claiming victory in the feature race on home soil at Monza.

With Nelson Piquet Jr and Lewis Hamilton no doubt keeping one eye on the main prize, FMS International pilot Pantano was able to claim a second win of the season in comfortable style. The Italian, in what is expected to be his penultimate GP2 start, beat poleman Piquet to the first corner and kept the Brazilian at bay throughout the 32 laps.

Pantano thus did exactly what he said he would after qualifying, and taking fastest lap on the very last lap of the race ensured that the title challenge remains open until the last race of the season. With Hamilton only managing third place behind his title rival, and neither man claiming the bonus for fastest lap, the Briton heads into the final race of the season with a reduced advantage, but knowing that Piquet has to win the race and claim fastest lap - and then hope that the ART man stutters - to deprive him of the crown.

Hamilton held fastest lap for much of the closing stages, and the bonus point would have given him the seven-point cushion he needed over Piquet to wrap up the title ahead of schedule, but the Briton will now have to go through the motions - and pray that nothing untoward happens on Sunday - before he can call himself GP2 Series champion.

The chances of Monza throwing up something unexpected was underlined on the opening lap of the race, as Ernesto Viso continued his personal nightmare at the Italian circuit by taking Xandi Negrao off with him at the Parabolica, and caused Istanbul winner Andreas Zuber to slide off in sympathy.

Pantano, meanwhile, was clear of the mayhem, having taken advantage of a cautious start from Piquet to assume control of the race from turn one. The Brazilian briefly snatched the advantage back, but Pantano was not to be denied, and muscled his way back past Piquet before the lap was out. Hamilton, meanwhile, observed the action, only to find himself jumped by Adam Carroll on the run past the pits first time around.

The Briton, however, was in no mood to focus on anyone other than his title rival, and quickly repaid his countryman in kind the next time around to regain third and control over his championship destiny. The time stuck behind Carroll had done the ART man few favours, however, with Pantano and Piquet having pulled out a crucial gap.

The leading pair were locked in an intense battle at the front of the field, swapping fastest laps if not positions as Piquet sought to gain the upper hand and the chance to secure a third straight Saturday maximum to enhance his title quest. Hamilton was the only man remotely close to their pace, but was still being dropped.

Carroll's challenge finally ended on lap ten, his right rear wheel coming adrift half a lap after making his mandatory pit-stop. With the errant part threatening the rest of the field, there was no option but to bring out the safety car, causing almost all of the field to make a stop, including the top three, The order remained unchanged after sterling work from the FMS, Piquet Sports and ART crews, however, with Pantano and Piquet able to put tailenders Fairuz Fauzy and Jason Tahinci between themselves and Hamilton.

Piquet attempted to regain the lead as soon as the race resumed, but locked his tyres spectacularly as he attempted to pass Pantano at the chicane. The Brazilian car came out ahead, but had cut the corner and was forced to let Pantano back through to avoid a penalty.

Further back, the battle for third overall was also heating up, even though Alex Premat and Timo Glock were not exactly running together on track. In his desperation to close the gap on his French rival, Glock tapped the rear of Franck Perera before making up a couple of places at the expense of the DAMS man and Super Nova's Jose Maria Lopez. From there, he took one lap to get onto Premat's tail, who showed his intent by weaving to keep the iSport car behind him.

That defence caused Glock to check up, allowing Luca Filippi, having the best race of his year, to re-pass the Glock out of the next corner. There was worse to come for the German, however, as Adrian Valles attempted to find a way up the inside at the Parabolica, only to take both cars off into the gravel, ensuring that Premat would not miss out on third for a second straight year.

After that, the race settled down, only for Hamilton to re-inject some urgency into Piquet's efforts by posting the fastest lap. Piquet's lock-up had rooted his rubber, leaving him powerless to react, and hoping that someone else would go faster than his rival. Pushing Pantano for all he was worth, however, the Brazilian finally forced the leader to raise his game, salvaging the championship battle on the very last lap.

There was no change among the top three, with Pantano coming home five seconds clear of Piquet at the flag. Hamilton was a further second adrift, but content with the knowledge that he held the strongest hand going into Sunday's showdown.

Such was the pace of the leading trio, an ecstatic Filippi was some 20secs shy of Hamilton when he finally claimed a seasons-best fourth, comfortably ahead of Premat. The Frenchman's A1GP team-mate, Nicolas Lapierre, recorded back-to-back points finishes for Arden with sixth spot, edging DPR's Clivio Piccione by just over a second in one of the few meaningful battles on track.

Hiroki Yoshimoto claimed the final points position, and Sunday's pole, but the place should probably have gone to Perera, whose car cried enough with just a lap to go. The Frenchman's demise allowed Javier Villa to get as close to the points as he ahs all season, with Lucas di Grassi, Jason Tahinci, Michael Ammermuller, Sergio Hernandez and Fauzy completing the finishers.

While Pantano lifts himself into striking distance of fifth overall - the Italian is just three points shy of Viso, but starting at the opposite end of the grid - the difference between Hamilton and Piquet is down to six points. With a maximum of seven on offer, however, the Brazilian has it all to do, and still leaves him relying on luck...