Andrea Bertolini won the first International Superstars Series race at Donington Park, resisting late pressure from home favourite Johnny Herbert.
Swiss Team Maserati driver Bertolini took the lead from polesitter Alberto Cerqui at the start of the race, with Herbert too getting the jump on the young Team BMW Italia driver.
Bertolini built up a gap to Herbert in the early stages of the race, but the Romeo Ferraris Mercedes driver closed up to the Italian in the closing stages of the race, crossing the finish line 0.898 seconds behind.
Cerqui remained in third place to complete the podium, four seconds behind Bertolini. Luigi Ferrara finished fourth in his CAAL Racing Mercedes, ahead of Christian Montanari of RGA Motorsport in his BMW. Alessandro Pier Guidi finished his debut Superstars race in sixth in the second of the Swiss Team Maseratis.
Championship leader Thomas Biagi could not improve upon his poor grid position of seventh, having dropped behind Francesco Sini in the Ferlito Motors Jaguar XF at the start, only to recover the position later on. Fabrizio Armetta and Max Pigoli completed the top ten.
Race results after 17 laps:
1. Andrea Bertolini (Swiss Maserati) 27:02.854
2. Johnny Herbert (Romeo Ferraris Mercedes) +0.898
3. Alberto Cerqui (BMW Italia) +4.206
4. Luigi Ferrara (CAAL Mercedes) +7.710
5. Christian Montanari (RGA BMW) +8.352
6. Alessandro Pier Guidi (Swiss Maserati) +13.406
7. Thomas Biagi (BMW Italia) +17.982
8. Francesco Sini (Ferlito Jaguar) +19.888
9. Fabrizio Armetta (Motorzone Chevrolet) +20.699
10. Max Pigoli (Romeo Ferraris Mercedes) +21.383
