Cavala wins, Krapitz with heavy crash
The Hamad International Circuit in Qatar was the host of the first race in 2016. Under the nightsky the italian Alexander Grundi from Marlboro Ferrari took the pole, but couldn't keep up the pase from the qualifying. World champion Billy Zotta set the fastest lap, finished 5th. The first winner of the season is Franco Cavala. The world champion in 2006 and 2007 made a fantastic performance and had a great strategy, made a 2-stop-race and finished over 5 seconds in front of the suprise of the race. Esteban Jimenez, rookie for ExxonMobil Racing, made a 1-stop and finished 2nd.
Marcin Bauer finished 4th, Marcos Lopez 6th in front of Ricardo Teixeira, Silvio Frei, Benjamin Weißlein and José Maria Follador. Greg Haddington, Gabriel Anderson and Finn Heikkenen crashed in the second place, forcing everybody to made a extra pitstop. In Lap 6 Michel Krapitz and Claudio Laudretti collided in Turn 7, result in a big crash of Michel Krapitz.
Next race is the Krung Thep International Circuit, Thailand. April 3rd, 2016.