Reigning champion and guest driver Ukyo Sasahara started from pole position after a quick 15-minute qualifying session earlier in the day. behind him, Yu Kuai and Joey Alders set identical times, with Kuai on the front row as he set his time first. Aussie Jack Doohan started from P7, with Tommy Smith in P11.

Sasahara was made to start from the pitlane, which left Kuai alone on the front row. As as the lights went out he was swamped by the chasing pack, as was fourth-place-starter Daniel Cao.

As the order settled in after the first lap, DeFrancesco held the lead followed by Alders, Doohan, Mazepin, with the Canadian leader quickly pulling away. Doohan and Alders battled for second, but it was ultimately the Dutchman who held the position.

With dark grey clouds gathering overhead, rain began to fall and Tatiana Calderón came together with Thomas Luedi, bringing out the safety car.

DeFrancesco held the lead at the restart, but it was for naught as both Alders and Doohan pounced, shuffling the podium positions and relegating him to third.

Alders said: “It’s a good start to the season I think.”

“The start was a bit not like we planned as we had a lot of wheelspin. I lost a place going in to T1 and then just managed the gap from the guy in front and tried to avoid getting attacked from the rear. That all went pretty well. Then the safety car came. I made a good restart and was really close to Jack. Then it was outside or inside, and they always say inside, so I had to make another swap to the inside and then, eyes closed, send it!”