• GP2 Asia - Imola

Clos wins, Grosjean takes title

ESPNF1 Staff
March 20, 2011
Dani Clos celebrates on the podium with Fabio Leimer and Giedo van der Garde © GP2 Series
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Dani Clos won the sprint race at Imola as Romain Grosjean secured the GP2 Asia Series title.

Only Jules Bianchi could deny Renault's reserve driver the championship, but when he was involved in a first corner collision and retired the crown was Grosjean's. The accident was a result of pole-sitter Fairuz Fauzy getting a poor start and then locking up in to turn one trying to make amends, hitting Bianchi in to the rear of Stefano Colletti and taking all three out of the race.

Clos took the lead off the line and never relinquished it, although he had to hold off Fabio Leimer for the duration of the race. Behind them, Giedo van der Gerde moved up to third, and proceeded to hold off Grosjean. The battle between the pair allowed Esteban Gutierrez to close on Grosjean, and when he tried to make a late move under brakes in to Variante Alta, Grosjean cut the chicane to hold his position and was subsequently penalised 20 seconds, dropping him down to seventh and out of the points.

Further back, Sam Bird's weekend didn't get any better as Johnny Cecotto outbraked himself in to turn one and pushed the pair off track. The incident put Bird out of the race and dropped Cecotto second to last, while he was also penalised with a 20 second penalty; the post race equivalent to a drive-through.

Clos was victorious by just under a second from Leimer at the line, with van der Garde a further three seconds back. Grosjean's championship was his second in the series, and also helped to earn DAMS the team title.

Provisional top six finishers

Driver Car
1. Dani Clos Racing Engineering
2. Fabio Leimer Rapax
3. Giedo van der Garde Barwa Addax
4. Esteban Gutierrez ART
5. Michael Herck Coloni
6. Peter Verhaug DAMS

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