Hitech Pulse Eight’s Stenshorne and ART Grand Prix’s Mansell start from the front row after the top 12 is reversed from yesterday’s qualifying session, in which they finished P12 and P11 respectively. Pole position qualifier Luke Browning will be serving his 3-gird place penalty for impeding in qualifying, dropping his starting position to P15.
Mansell gets a brilliant start, putting himself into P1 into turn one. Mansell and Stenshorne continue their fight, Stenshorne running off the track.
Beganovic and Sztuka did not make it through sector one, Sztuka making contact with Wurz after Wurz was hit by Loake, Sztuka forced to park up on the exit of turn 1. Beganovic had a spin through turn 1, dropping him back to 28th, Shields also dropping 6 positions into 23rd, this drama forcing a safety car period.
The safety car returns to the pit lane at the end of lap 4, racing beginning once again for lap 5, Mansell holding on to his P1. Leon made a move on Tramnitz, Tramnitz soon regaining 9th position. Browning gains a place on Lindblad, as Loake gains a place on Shields.
Mansell, Tsolov, Stenshorne, and Dunne break away from the rest of the field, as DRS is enabled.
Browning looks to make a move on Tramnitz heading up to turn 1, not able to make the move stick.
Fornaroli and Boya fight for 17th, making contact in turn 3, before Fornaroli comes out on top. Race control noted this incident.
Tsolov makes his move on teammate Mansell, placing his Alpine livery ART into 1st out of turn 6.
Mansell gets a good run up behind Tsolov with the use of DRS, but can’t get close enough to make a move yet, remaining in 2nd into lap 10.
Browning finally makes his move on Tramnitz into turn 1, taking 10th place and making it stick.
Beganovic moves up on Loake, taking 21st. Montoya and Van Hoepen fight for 5th, with Montoya coming out on top.
Fornaroli lunges on Bedrin getting up beside him but unable to make his move stick, until turn 6 when he lunges again and sticks it in 14th
Ramos and Smith go through turn 6 side by side, Ramos running wide into the gravel, managing to remain straight enough to get back on track and continue on.
Mansell lunges on Tsolov through turn 1, taking 1st place from his teammate Tsolov, Tsolov taking it back by turn 4.
Dunne and Montoya go side by side from the first corner all the way to the hairpin, Montoya unable to make the move stick in the end.
Mansell retakes the lead from Tsolov on lap 17. Lindblad making contact and sustains a puncture, dropping him down to last place.
Mansell and Tsolov continue to fight for first place, Stenshorne using this as his opportunity for attack, taking 2nd from Mansell as Tsolov remains in 1st.
Montoya runs slightly wide into the grass and makes contact with Dunne, then making heavy contact with the inside wall on the approach to turn 4, spinning his car and bringing out the safety car.
The safety car returns to the pitlane leaving just one lap for the fight for 1st place.
Van Hoepen gains a place on Mini, taking 5th place, Mini unable to execute the switch back. Mini is under pressure from Goethe, but Goethe doesn’t quite catch him.
Tsolov crosses the line first, with Stenshorne and Mansell following him across.
