From there, it was a cruise for the Venezuelan, who claimed his first win of an otherwise erratic year and finally gave his team the sort of reward that had expected more often given the quality of its line-up. d'Ambrosio came home a disappointed second, with Petrov surviving the attentions of Buemi to complete the podium party.

The Russian's points, added to those of team-mate di Grassi, who came home fifth ahead of Kobayashi and Valsecchi, edged Campos two clear at the top of the teams' championship, but there was no move on the drivers' side, as Pantano and Senna remain locked, eleven points apart, in first and second.

di Grassi and Grosjean are now tied for third overall in their own private RDD-sponsored battle, but all eyes will be on the fluctuating fortunes of the top two as the series heads to its Monza finale. There are still sufficient points on the board for any one of the top four to take the crown, but it would require both Pantano and Senna to score low if the outsiders were to come good.

Then again, the lead pair have mustered just eight points between them in the past two rounds - a figure that includes four for a pole apiece.....