Marco Mapelli and Filipe Albuquerque (Audi R8 LMS) opened the Italian GT Championship 2016 with a victory in the race valid for classes Super GT3 and GT3. Audi Sport Italia drivers proceeded in Monza Bortolotti-Mul (Lamborghini Huracan-Imperiale Racing) by 5"37 and Venturi-Gai (Ferrari 488-Black Bull Racing) by 13"57. Victory to Luca and Nicola Pastorelli (Porsche GT3R-Krypton Motorsport) in GT3, with Venerosi-Baccani (Porsche GT3R-Ebimotors) second and Marco Galassi (Ferrari 458 Italia-Team Malucelli) third.

As it happened
Poleman Venturi got the lead at the go, with Mancinelli second followed by Albuquerque, Venturini, Mul, Leo who was first of GT3, Frassineti and Cerqui.  The leading duo set a fast pace to the race pulling away from the others and at the beginning of lap 3 Mancinelli got the lead from Venturi, while Albuquerque in third was leading Imperiale Racing's Venturini and Mul.

At the first chicane of lap 4 Frassineti had a bit of a moment and hit violently the Ferrari of Leo causing the retirement of both cars. Safety car neutralized the race for three laps. At the restart, Mancinelli was leading Venturi, Albuquerque and Venturini, as the latter was overtaken by Mul at lap 9.

Back on track after drivers change, Geri, who replaced Mancinelli, confirmed the lineup's lead from Gai to Mapelli and Bortolotti. The latter two drivers inflamed the race with a good duel for P3 that allowed them to close in on Gai and to get past him at lap 15. The driver from Rome did not try to resist and at the following lap was overtaken by Mapelli who therefore took the lead. Geri was shortly after taken also by Bortolotti. At lap 19 Comandini found his way past Geri, followed by Bontempelli, Sini and Pezzucchi, while in GT3 Pastorelli confirmed his lead from Baccani to Galassi.

On top, Mapelli managed to fend off Bortolotti. Gai was far from the leading duo and proceeded Comandini, Bontempelli, Sini and Agostini, who managed to get past Pezzucchi at lap 23. Meanwhile, in GT3 Pastorelli kept Baccani at bay, and Galassi was third despite having a bigger gap.

Positions did not change at the flag and Mapelli ended ahead of Bortolotti, who was eventually handed a 5 seconds time penalty as Mul had been driving out of track limits at the start of the race. The third place went to Gai who proceeded Comandini, Bontempelli, Sini and Agostini. Pezzucchi was ninth absolute and won class GT3 leading Baccani and Galassi.

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