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2016 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup: Monaco race report

Matteo Cairoli continued his stellar start to the 2016 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, dominating proceedings around the streets of Monte Carlo to win the 250th race since Porsche’s premier one-make series was launched in 1993.

The Italian Porsche Junior, who was also the class of the field in round one at the Circuit de Catalunya, was imperious in qualifying around the streets of the world’s most famous principality, taking the vital pole position by 0.37 seconds ahead of guest driver, Klaus Bachler.

Third on the grid went to perennial championship hopeful, Michael Ammermüller with Total 911 columnist and MOMO-Megatron racer, Ben Barker fending off French Porsche Junior, Mathieu Jaminet by a scant 0.001 seconds for fourth.

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Monaco 2016

While conditions for Friday’s qualifying session couldn’t have been better, for Sunday morning’s race, the weather had closed in on the Mediterranean coast, soaking the 2.07-mile street track and requiring the race to be started behind the safety car.

When the 25-strong pack was eventually released on lap three, Cairoli immediately set about working away from Bachler, the FACH Auto Tech driver stretching his lead comfortably until a mid-race safety car period was required to clear the track of stricken cars.

As in Spain though, the mid-race interval didn’t disrupt the 19-year-old Italian’s rhythm, Cairoli once again building a buffer over Bachler when racing got underway with eight laps remaining.

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Monaco 2016

Even a late race downpour didn’t effect Cairoli who kept his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car out of the barriers despite rivers forming across the Monte Carlo tarmac in places, securing his second win of the 2016 season.

The same could not be said of Bachler though who, after the safety car, initially began to fall back in the battle between Ammermüller and Barker for third. The Austrian was able to escape too much pressure however, on lap 15 of 16, Bachler was caught out by the rain at the first corner, slamming into the barriers.

Bachler would have been out on the spot, handing the final spot to Barker (who had spent the whole race glued to Ammermüller’s rear wing, looking for a way through) however, with the red flags bringing the race to an early end, the results were taken from the previous lap.

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Monaco 2016

This left Ammermüller in third with Barker missing out on his second consecutive Monaco podium – the Brit finished third last year – by the smallest of margins.

Jaminet, racing for the Martinet by Almeras squad, finished fifth after a reasonably uneventful race close to home turf however, the star of the 250th Supercup race was undoubtedly German Porsche Junior, Sven Müller.

The title contender (second in Barcelona), crashed in qualifying and started at the back of the grid. Despite Monaco being notoriously difficult to overtake, Müller charged his way through from 25th to finish 13th, securing a few vital points.

For all the latest Porsche race news and reports, make sure you check out our dedicated motorsport section now.

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Monaco 2016

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