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Blancpain Misano: HTP Mercedes takes 1-2 in disrupted qualifying race

Maximilian Buhk and Franck Perera led a 1-2 for the HTP team in a dramatic Blancpain GT Series qualifying race at Misano ahead of Sunday's season opener

The Mercedes pairing crossed the line five seconds ahead of its second-placed sister car, driven by Fabian Schiller and Jules Szymkowiak.

Behind them in third was the Akka ASP Mercedes of Michael Meadows and Rafaelle Marciello.

The Lamborghini Huracan GT3 of Marco Mapelli and Giovanni Venturini had started the race on pole and held onto its lead at the start with Mapelli at the wheel, but the race was red-flagged after just six corners following an incident involving the Audi of Will Stevens.

The Briton's Team WRT Audi was launched sideways and started a chain reaction that ended the race of six other cars.

The race was then restarted under the safety car after a lengthy delay, before Mapelli led the field away once again.

But a fuel pressure problem ended his race prematurely and gifted the lead to Buhk, who went onto build a comfortable lead which left him unchallenged.

Marciello charged at the restart and tangled with Buhk's former co-driver Dominik Baumann, who spun as a result.

While Marciello was classified in third alongside Meadows, the Italian remained under investigation for his contact with Baumann at the end of the race.

Mirko Bortolotti's Lamborghini also made some headway on the restart to run in second place before handing over to team-mate Christian Engelhart.

Engelhart was doing battle for fourth with the McLaren of Andrew Watson on the final lap of the race, when a collision with a backmarker caused all three cars to spin.

He ultimately finished in eighth, while Watson was classified a disappointing 18th after an otherwise impressive outing.

Meanwhile, there were better fortunes for reigning sprint cup champions Enzo Ide and Christopher Mies in the Audi for Team WRT, who claimed sixth position at the flag despite qualifying in 18th.

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