Johan Kristoffersson took his maiden Superstars Series win from pole, leading the race from lights to flag. The Audi driver finished ahead of Andrea Larini as Thomas Biagi completed the podium.
At the start the Swede retained the lead ahead of Larini and Vitantonio Liuzzi, who had a great getaway and managed to jump up to third from fifth on the grid. On the following lap, though, Gianni Morbidelli overtook the CAAL Racing driver at the Villeneuve corner, who was passed by Biagi as well a lap later. Behind Liuzzi, now in fifth, were Francesco Sini, Max Pigoli and Christian Fittipaldi.
On the fifth lap Fittipaldi and Stefano Gabellini overtook Pigoli after a slight contact between the Brazilian and the Jaguar driver. During the same lap Morbidelli pulled off a fantastic move on Larini and jumped up to second, immediately starting to chase his team-mate Kristoffersson for the lead.
More moments were to come, as Sini overtook Liuzzi at Villeneuve. The CAAL Racing driver locked his wheels at Variante Alta and Fittipaldi took advantage of his mistake, jumping up to sixth.
With a couple of minutes to go, Kristoffersson damaged his exhaust on a kerb and fought to stay in the lead, but a big disappointment was to come for Morbidelli as the former Grand Prix driver made contact with his team-mate and damaged his radiator, which forced him to retire with just meters to the flag.
Kristoffersson therefore won ahead of Larini, Biagi, Sini and Fittipaldi, making it five different manufacturers in the first five places. Liuzzi took sixth after a tough race ahead of Gabellini and Andrea Boffo, who will start from pole for the second race. Thomas Schöffler finished in ninth ahead of Pigoli, who remains in the lead of the championship with 41 points.
The Jaguar driver shares the lead with Liuzzi, with Larini in third four points adrift. Biagi lies in fourth, six points behind the leaders, while Kristoffersson jumps up to fifth courtesy of his win, and is nine points shy of Pigoli and Liuzzi.
Race Two starts at 16.15 (CET).
