• GP2, Italian Grand Prix, Race 2

Quaife-Hobbs takes first GP2 victory

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs took victory in the GP2 sprint race as Sam Bird closed on championship lead at Monza.

Bird came home fourth behind Quaife-Hobbs, Alexander Rossi and Julian Leal, but with previous leader Fabio Leimer securing fastest lap and finishing sixth Bird was able to close the gap to just six points with four races remaining.

Most of the action came in the early part of the race as third-placed James Calado stalled while Rossi got a very poor start from pole allowing Quaife-Hobbs to lead away. Bird attacked down the outside for P2 but was forced wide as Stephane Richelmi and Leal touched in to Turn 1 and Bird dropped back to third.

Rossi recovered to fourth after his poor start and settled in behind Bird and Leal, while further back Stefano Coletti made a strong start up to 12th but then dropped behind Felipe Nasr and Jolyon Palmer as all three would eventually again fail to score.

Spots of rain made the track slippery around the halfway mark and both Leal and Bird ran wide at Turn 1, allowing Rossi to pass both with a great move under braking in to the Roggia chicane. The short shower didn't require wet tyres though, and the pace soon picked up again as the top four broke away from the pack.

Once up to second place, Rossi was unable to make much progress in to Quaife-Hobbs' lead, with the gap remaining above a second as any gains Rossi made in the first sector he tended to lose in the rest of the lap. Quaife-Hobbs eventually won by 1.8s to secure his first victory of the season.

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