After Nyck de Vries sticken Mahindra was removed from the initial grid line-up the pack fired away to Turn 1 with Edo Mortara bogging down in a huge burnout – losing P1 immediately as the front-runners swamped the Swiss’ car.
Guenther happily accepted the invite to take the lead into Turn 1 while Nato, Barnard and Wehrlein followed – Mortara finding himself fifth just ahead of the second Porsche of Nico Mueller.
A full course yellow followed on Lap 2 after Pepe Marti swept across the nose of the unfortunate Zane Maloney – whole Lola Yamaha ABT came off worst, with race-ending damage requiring a safety car.
Lap 4 and we were green and racing again with Guenther leading the field away.
Wehrlein managed to make some forward progress with a move on Barnard for third heading down to the final chicane at the end of that lap on the restart.
Nato swept into the lead on Lap 6 and from there, the race settled into a fast-paced rhythm with energy becoming less critical thanks to the Safety Car.
Wehrlein pinched second from Guenther into the Bus Stop chicane on Lap 14 as the field compressed to within 7.5 seconds, and the PIT BOOST window approached.
The Porsche driver then hit the front at Turn 13 with the pace picking up. Guenther was the first to jump for his mandatory 50kW, all wheel drive Attack Mode boost on Lap 15.
The end of Lap 16 saw another half dozen to take to the pits for their stop. As it stood on Lap 17, Barnard looked to be the provisional leader – though two thirds of the pack were yet to take to the pit lane.
Out front, Wehrlein and Guenther were scrapping for P1, with Guenther making it by as Wehrlein slipped into the pits for his PIT Boost stop at the end of Lap 18.
The provisional lead, of those who’d stopped, switched hands to Jake Dennis – with Barnard jumping for Attack Mode. However, when it all shook out, it was Guenther who was able to retain the lead – Porsche’s Wehrlein second and yet to take Attack.
The German made than advantage count as he activated his 50kW, all-wheel drive boost to pass Guenther on Lap 20.
That early jump for Attack cost Guenther – with the German sliding further down the order as Dennis and da Costa made it by for second and third, then Ticktum making it through for fourth on Lap 22.
Ticktum defended hard to fend off Barnard but with the DS on Attack Mode, the Brit was powerless – Barnard making it by for fourth across the start/finish on Lap 23.
Wehrlein drew out a five-second lead on Dennis with da Costa, Barnard, Ticktum and Guenther the top six as it stood on that lap.
Barnard made it by Nato for third at the hairpin despite running in that standard 300kW mode – the latter having made his way up the order in Attack on Lap 25.
Lap 26 saw Mortara making use of his late Attack Mode activation – slicing by Nato for fifth and Barnard for fourth. Come Turn 13 and the Mahindra driver had recovered to second spot – hunting Wehrlein, who was some seven seconds clear out front.
A late Attack looked to be the way forward. Evans was next to slice through the field – making it as far as third come Lap 28.
Cassidy was next to move but could only make it as far as sixth spot at the end of his 50kW boost on Lap 31.
Wehrlein had it all in hand in P1, with Mortara held at arm’s length as the German took the chequered flag.
The full top 10 are- P1: Wehrlein, P2: Mortara, P3: Evans, P4: Mueller, P5: Da Costa, P6: Cassidy, P7: Buemi, P8: Vergne, P9: Dennis and P10: Barnard.
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