Friday, September 19, 2008

Pantano excluded from Spa races

Pantano excluded from Spa races

GP2 Series championship leader Giorgio Pantano has been excluded from the Spa-Francorchamps races as a punishment for his collision with Lucas di Grassi at the end of today's feature race.

Pantano had been on course to win the race and extend his championship lead until an engine problem during a safety car period dropped him to 10th.

He then lost further places with a spin, and collided with di Grassi in a botched overtaking move on the final lap, ending both their races.

The Italian was called to see the stewards, who decided not only to disqualify him from the first race, but to bar him from participating in tomorrow morning's sprint race, citing "reckless driving and unsportsmanlike behaviour", and adding that he had also overtaken during a safety car period.

Pantano's title rival Bruno Senna had earlier lost a chance to win the race when he was given a drive-through penalty for being released from his pitstop into the path of Alberto Valerio. He went on to finish 12th, and currently trails Pantano by 13 points with three races remaining.

Third place finisher Andreas Zuber has also been disqualified from the feature race results due to "unauthorised repairs" to his Piquet Sports car.

His removal from the results elevates his teammate Pastor Maldonado to third, and means that DAMS' Jerome d'Ambrosio moves up to eighth and pole position for the reverse grid sprint race.

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