Spinelli got a good start but then ruined it at the first turn as he immediately made contact with Patrick Kujala and the Italian went into a spin. Spinelli then did it again after returning to the track but was good enough to stay in the top 3 positions and begin his comeback. In a handful of laps, he took Kujala and set off after Piquet, who had benefitted from the first corner fracas to pull out a lead.
After seven minutes of racing, Spinelli attacked Piquet and passed him for the lead. From that moment on, the outcome was in the hands of these two, with the Italian opening up a good margin over his Brazilian rival.
