Remarkably, given
Nelson Piquet Jr's problems at the 'Ring a year ago, the pit-stops began as soon as the window opened at the end of lap two, but the frontrunners pressed on towards one third distance before making their call for fresh rubber, di Grassi and Glock stretching away from the growing battle between Maldonado and Pantano, the Venezuelan having caught his Italian rival napping at turn two entering the second lap. There followed another gap before Zaugg and Nakajima came through, the DAMS man already looking racy.
Pantano and Zaugg were the first of the point-sitters to pit, stopping on lap six, with di Grassi coming in three laps later, ceding the lead to Glock, who immediately upped his pace in an effort to build enough of a gap to rejoin ahead of his rival. The German ran two laps longer and, having opened out more than half a minute over the now twelfth-placed Brazilian, received a perfect turnaround from the iSport crew, rejoining in ninth, just ahead of di Grassi, with Pantano and co further back in the pack.
Glock's stop allowed Trident Racing a rare moment of glory, as Maldonado led Kohei Hirate in 1-2 formation until the Venezuelan came in on lap 14. Glock, meanwhile, was temporarily bottled up behind Jason Tahinci, the FMSI driver up to eighth on merit after reverting to his 2006 gameplan of making a late stop. The German, however, was not unduly bothered by those behind, as di Grassi had Nakajima for company, the Japanese driver having vaulted up the order after his own stop.
Glock finally found a way past Tahinci at turn one 15th time around, and was followed smartly through by di Grassi, the Brazilian briefly shaking the attentions of his pursuer, who had to wait until the end of the lap, when Tahinci pitted, to get around the Petrol Ofisi car. di Grassi, however, was unable to make his freedom count, as Glock eased away towards a comfortable 'lead', merely waiting for Hirate to pit before assuming top spot.
