Tadasuke Makino took a sensational first ever Formula 2 victory in the feature race at Monza, following a masterstroke strategy which saw him start on the medium compound tyre.
Artem Markelov made it a one-two for the Russian Time team following an incredible start that saw him move from fourth on the grid to lead after the first chicane.
The key to Makino’s race win was his meteoric early race pace which saw him rise from his 14th place start position to lead as early as lap five as the supersoft runners, led by team-mate Markelov, started to fade.
Markelov, despite a mistake which nearly allowed Albon around the outside of him at Lesmo One, continued to lead the other supersoft runners until they pitted to fit the medium compound tires after just six laps.
The Russian Time re-appeared out of the pits as the first of the cars to have stopped, while Russell managed to jump Albon following a slow stop by the DAMS squad.
Makino meanwhile had continued to lap consistently quickly out on his own in the lead until he pitted with just a few laps to go to run the regulation supersoft Pirelli rubber to the end, the Japanese racer re-joining as the leader.
He was then able to stroke his car home to take the chequered flag 1.7 seconds clear of Markelov, with Albon third.
Russell had attempted to snatch the lead away from Markelov soon after the two had made their pitstops, albeit in vain and was soon forced to turn his attention to the rapid Albon behind.
The DAMS pilot managed to out-smart Russell into the first chicane, pulling off a brave move around the outside of the first part of the chicane to move into second behind Markelov.
Norris meanwhile had managed to close a five-second gap to Russell in just a couple of laps, and was soon on his championship rival’s tail for effective third.
The two went side by side through Curva Grande several times – Norris even being edged wide onto the grass on one occasion – before he finally moved through in the closing stages.
Russell, however, was not finished, and dived up the inside of Norris into turn 1 on the following lap, although was unable to pull his ART up and was forced to cut the chicane and as a result give the position back.
Russell attacked the Carlin again at the same place the following lap, and this time managed to secure what would ultimately become fourth by the end of the race.
Norris would then lose another position to the late-charging Latifi, who would secure fifth ahead of the McLaren junior with just a couple of laps remaining.
Sergio Sette Camara drove an incredible race following a pitlane start for yesterday’s front row qualifier as a result of a late engine drama just prior to the start – the Brazilian ace securing seventh place and a second place start for tomorrow’s sprint race.
Reverse grid pole went to Antonio Fuoco, who managed to relegate the late-stopping Boschung to ninth in the closing stages, while Nyck de Vries had a quiet race to take the final point in tenth.
Today’s result means Russell extends his championship advantage over Norris to 13 points ahead of the sprint race, while trimming his own deficit to the championship leaders following his podium finish.
