GP2: Giovinazzi completes Prema clean sweep

Antonio Giovinazzi claimed his third GP2 victory and completed a clean sweep of the weekend for Prema in race two at Spa.

Giovinazzi tracked reverse grid polesitter Gustav Malja through the early laps, applying frequent pressure before sweeping around the outside into Les Combes just before half-distance. The Italian then edged away to win for the first time since his Baku double in June, moving back into second in the points – 17 behind championship-leading teammate Pierre Gasly.

Malja continued his breakthrough Spa form for Rapax to secure second, with Trident's Luca Ghiotto fending off Gasly for the final podium spot.

Saturday winner Gasly starred again. The Red Bull Formula 1 test driver damaged his front wing in first-lap contact with Oliver Rowland through Les Combes and lost out to title rival Sergey Sirotkin in the process. But when Sirotkin tried down the outside of Rowland into La Source next time around, Gasly repassed him on the exit then drove around the outside of Rowland at Eau Rouge to pass the MP driver, too, despite his broken wing section.

Gasly subsequently picked off Jordan King then battling Russian Time teammates Artem Markelov and Raffaele Marciello over the remaining laps before catching Ghiotto.

Marciello came home fifth, with Alex Lynn hustling through to sixth in a spectacular group battle involving Markelov and King.

King ended up seventh, but Markelov was spun out of the points at the final corner when he took a hit from Sirotkin. The ART driver had dived down the inside of Rowland for ninth only to run into Markelov ahead and spin his fellow Russian in an incident that may well result in a penalty.

Rowland dodged round it all to come home eighth ahead of Sirotkin and Sergio Canamasas, with Norman Nato making it through from the back row of the grid to 11th after his Saturday retirement.

Originally on Autosport.com