The Frenchman increased his pace between laps 3 and 6 to create a gap and then was able to resist in the final part of the race, when Michelisz’s pace was a bit faster.

Behind them Gabriele Tarquini claimed third place, benefiting from the battle over fourth place that involved Rob Huff, Mehdi Bennani, Tom Coronel and Tom Chilton.

Eventually Huff was classified fourth ahead of Bennani who scored his first victory in the Yokohama Trophy.

A pile up after the start eliminated some potential top players such as Tiago Monteiro, Pepe Oriola, Fredy Barth and James Thompson. Coronel and Darryl O’Young are currently under investigation for this.

Key moments

Start – Muller sprints from pole to take the lead from Michelisz, Tarquini and Huff

Lap 1 – Coronel hits Monteiro at Turn 2, behind them a pile up eliminates Oriola and Thompson and forces Barth, O’Young and D’Aste to pit for repair

Lap 2 – Monteiro outbrakes himself at Turn 1 and crash into the tyre wall

Lap 2 – Coronel overtakes Bennani for sixth

Lap 5 – Coronel and Bennani overtake Chilton at Turn 13 and move up to fifth and sixth

Lap 6 – Muller and Michelisz pull away, Muller leads by one second

Lap 7 – close fight for third between Tarquini, Huff, Coronel and Bennani

Lap 9 – Huff is put under pressure by Coronel

Lap 10 – Huff and Coronel drive side-to-side, Bennani overtakes Coronel for fifth

Lap 11 – Chilton chases Coronel for sixth

Lap 12 – Michelisz closes in on Muller, but the Frenchman maintains the lead