With a racy looking Hirate, who only scored his first points of the year in the first race of the weekend, up into second place, it was now his turn to show off his defensive skills as he came under pressure from countryman and former Formula 3 Euroseries team-mate Nakajima, the in form DAMS driver having passed Maldonado earlier in the race.
Indeed, this was the battle to watch in the closing stages as Nakajima hustled the back of the Trident car, Hirate holding steady and not making the mistake necessary to let his rival through.
A couple of feigned attempts later and Nakajima was forced to give up, following Hirate across the line for his fourth straight podium, a result that lifts him up to joint fifth in the standings alongside Maldonado, who finished in fourth for another double points finish.
The tussle between Hirate and Nakajima had allowed Villa to further stretch his already commanding lead, but the youngster had a test of concentration in the closing laps when he overshot the chicane and had to take to the escape road. Nonetheless, a gap of almost four seconds was a clear indicator of the Spaniard's sheer pace nonetheless.
Timo Glock meanwhile added an extra two points to his championship leading points tally with a fifth place finish, while nearest rival Lucas di Grassi continues to keep him honest by finishing a spot further back in sixth to round out the points positions. The point for the fastest lap meanwhile was claimed by di Grassi's ART stand-in team-mate Buemi.
It leaves Glock with a seven point lead heading to the next round in Hungary, di Grassi himself pulling away from third place Luca Filippi who failed to score this weekend, the Italian retiring with mechanical problems in the second race.
Things are a little closer further back,just eight points now separating fourth down to ninth with Pantano leading Maldonado, Nakajima, Bruno Senna, Villa and Andreas Zuber, the latter another driver who failed to show well this weekend.
