After dominating from start to finish Nick Catsburg and Albert von Thurn und Taxis drove to the win in the Qualifying Race at the Moscow Raceway. With the #88 Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Catsburg took the start from pole and never looked back. After a nigh on perfect pitstop Von Thurn und Taxis held on to a commanding nine-second lead, to take Reiter Engineering's first win in an SRO Series since 2013.
Behind the #333 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari of Norbert Siedler quickly managed to take second place and Marco Seefried had no trouble in defending that position, claiming a front row start for the main race later this afternoon. The #84 Bentley Team HTP Continental of Maxi Buhk and Vincent Abril had to start from eighth, but a great opening stint and a contact between the #83 Bentley of Jules Szymkowiak and the #6 Phoenix Racing Audi of Markus Winkelhock meant that the blue machine could climb to fourth at the pitstop, passing the #55 Attempto Racing McLaren through a faster wheel change and claiming the final podium position.
The Bentley will share the second row of the grid with the #0 BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil Z4 of Sergio Jimenez and Caca Bueno, who raced to fourth after having started in tenth. Their team-mates Atila Abreu and Valdeno Brito did even better by finishing seventh after being fifteenth on the grid.
Tough luck meanwhile for Series leaders Laurens Vanthoor and Robin Frijns. A right rear puncture during the opening lap meant that the #1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT car will start the main race from 16th.
That main race of the Moscow Raceway event will start at 4pm.
Albert von Thurn und Taxis (#88 Reiter Engineering): "This feels so good, especially after the tough times we have been through. I must say, my task was not that difficult after Nicky gave me the car with an impressive lead. I was surprised on how well the car behaved all through the race, especially in the deteriorating conditions."
Marco Seefried (#333 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari): "Now we have the same grid position as we did in Zolder, but I will try to be more aware of what the cars around me are doing and try to survive the first corner and first lap. I think we can have a go at at least a podium finish now."