The already-bizarre GP2 Series championship battle took a fresh twist hours after the opening race of the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, when points leader Giorgio Pantano was excluded from the remainder of the event following two incidents in the feature.
The Italian, who was initially classified in 21st position after a fraught race that included an investigation into a altercation with Diego Nunes, claims that he overtook under the safety car, and culminated with a clash with title rival Lucas di Grassi that the stewards, after deliberation, considered 'reckless driving and unsportsmanlike behaviour'.
The latter incident, which came at La Source on the final lap, followed an ambitious move by Pantano to pass Roldan Rodriguez on a damp still tricky after early race rain. Although he appeared to have cleared the Spaniard, Pantano carried too much momentum into the corner and clattered di Grassi amidships, ending the Campos man's race on the spot.
"I tried to overtake Rodriguez, but touched on the inside, where it was still wet, and had contact with di Grassi," the Italian admitted, before his punishment became apparent, "I couldn't stop the car."
The clash ended an unusually turbulent event for Pantano who, at one point, appeared to be on course for a possible victory. Having run fourth initially, the veteran was up to a provisional second, behind title rival Bruno Senna, after the mandatory pit-stops had been taken. The field was behind the safety car when it was announced that the Brazilian would have to take a drive-thru' penalty for a pit-lane infringement, but Pantano was unable to take advantage - or the lead - as his car suddenly lost power, allowing those behind him in the queue to pass before he finally got going again, now in tenth spot.
![Giorgio Pantano - Racing Engineering [pic credit: GP2 Series]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/487889.jpg)
