Gianni Morbidelli led a WestCoast Racing Honda 1-2-3 in race one of the TCR International Series in Shanghai, with team-mates René Münnich and Kevin Gleason completing the podium.
Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Pepe Oriola, from fifth on the grid, made a strong start and attempted to pass both Gleason and Münnich on the opening lap, but contact ultimately led to the Spaniard’s retirement on the opening lap with damage and a puncture.
Morbidelli was thereafter able to hold his own against his team-mates and take his first TCR victory, with Münnich and Gleason completing the podium after having to defend heavily from a charging Stefano Comini. The duo switched positions multiple times throughout the race in an enthralling battle for the final podium position.
Comini, up from eighth on the grid despite carrying 30 kg of ballast, had to settle for fourth as the top SEAT, keeping the Swiss driver within five points of new championship leader Morbidelli. He finished ahead of Target Competition team-mate Andrea Belicchi, who took the position at the very last corner of the final lap. The Italian made a lunge on Liqui Moly Team Engstler’s Mikhail Grachev, forcing both men significantly wide, to take the position.
Grachev thus finished in sixth, ahead of team-mate Franz Engstler, marking a season-best performance for the Audi TT Cup Cars.
Jordi Gené took the flag in eighth as the top driver for Craft-Bamboo Racing, suffering as a result of earlier contact with Grachev, ahead of Zengő Motorsport newcomer Norbert Tóth and Target Competition’s Michel Nykjær.
As a result of his retirement, Pepe Oriola slips to third in the drivers’ championship, tied on points with Gleason.
Race two takes place at 10:30 local time (03:30 BST; 04:30 CEST) on Sunday.
Top ten result
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME/GAP | BEST | GD |
| 1 | 10 | Gianni MORBIDELLI |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 10 | 23:18.758 | 2:17.363 | 1 |
| 2 | 23 | René MÜNNICH |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 10 | 0.851 | 2:17.783 | 2 |
| 3 | 24 | Kevin GLEASON |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 10 | 3.767 | 2:18.323 | 3 |
| 4 | 25 | Stefano COMINI |  |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 10 | 5.510 | 2:18.586 | 8 |
| 5 | 33 | Andrea BELICCHI | |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 10 | 7.542 | 2:18.637 | 10 |
| 6 | 8 | Mikhail GRACHEV |  |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Audi Sport TT Cup | 10 | 8.051 | 2:19.154 | 4 |
| 7 | 6 | Franz ENGSTLER | |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Audi Sport TT Cup | 10 | 9.714 | 2:19.139 | 7 |
| 8 | 88 | Jordi GENÉ |  |
Team Craft-Bamboo LUKOIL | SEAT León Racer | 10 | 10.822 | 2:18.444 | 14 |
| 9 | 47 | Norbert TÓTH |  |
Zengő Motorsport | SEAT León Racer | 10 | 11.493 | 2:18.817 | 6 |
| 10 | 17 | Michel NYKJÆR |  |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 10 | 12.342 | 2:19.151 | 9 |