27/08/2006
NEWS STORY
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Those of you who saw this morning's GP2 race at Istanbul are probably still catching your breath. Those of you who didn't see it should make every effort to do so… it was that good.
With three races remaining - this morning's and two at Monza - just 6 points separated the two title protagonists, Lewis Hamilton and Nelson Piquet Jr.
On Saturday, Piquet demonstrated the sort of form he'd shown in Hungary, taking pole, the race win and fastest lap, closing the title deficit to Hamilton from 11 to 6.
With Hamilton and Piquet starting seventh and eight on the grid we were always promised a 'corker', however an early spin by the Englishman appeared to dash our hopes.
Having got his car heading in the right direction, and somehow avoiding being T-boned, the Englishman set off after the pack. Piquet, meanwhile, was having a disappointing race, and showing none of the form we'd seen on Saturday.
However, the Brazilian was suddenly woken up when Hamilton appeared in his mirrors, having worked his way back up through the field.
There followed a magnificent tussle which would have had any race fan - indeed any sport's fan - oohing and aahing in delight, as Hamilton and Piquet fought one another, with Timo Glock adding to the equation for good measure.
At one stage, British Eurosport commentator, and former racer, Gareth Rees, declared that the people in Formula One should be watching. "They should look at this and be embarrassed," he shouted.
And quite right too.
F1 might have the politics, the glamour - if you're into that sort of thing - the skulduggery and the money, it might even have the occasional decent race, but it's a long, long time since we've seen racing as exciting, and generally clean, as this. This is the sort of thing that makes one proud to be a motor sport fan.
GP2 might have got off to a 'difficult' start, but now it's coming good, and unlike F3000 appears to be producing drivers that F1 will seriously consider.
So Gareth, you got it right... next time shout a little louder, perhaps Max and Bernie will hear you.
Finally, despite all the (deserved) stick we've given him in the past, hats off to Herman Tilke for finally producing a race track worthy of the word.