Ferrari World Finals: Laursen triumphs in Coppa Shell final

Hassid’s pole position for the final, having set the fastest lap in qualifying across the weekend, instantly came under threat and he was passed by Laursen through the opening three corners of the first lap. 

That crucial overtake proved to the winning move but Laursen’s new-found lead came under threat after Claudio Sciovinni pulled his Kessel Racing Ferrari off track with a problem, causing a safety car. 

At the subsequent restart Hassid pressured Laursen relentlessly and on the fifth of 14 laps, race leader Laursen out-braked himself and ran wide at the first corner - but his rival was unable to make a pass stick. 

Laursen’s mistake meant he was under pressure to defend throughout the race, never extending his lead above a second, but he held on to deny Hassid. 

Third went to Fabienne Wohlwend, but she was under investigation for allegedly causing long-time podium threat Manuela Gostner to spin at the right-handed second corner midway through the race. 

Gostner fell down the order to finish sixth while Wohlwend ran unchallenged to third. 

Tadakazu Kojima was the only non-Ferrari Challenge Europe driver to finish inside the top 10 after he held of Erich Prinoth to become the highest placed Asia Pacific Challenge runner.

Christophe Hurni’s Team Zenith Sion Ferrari ran unchallenged to a lonely seventh ahead of Ingvar Mattsson, who climbed from 10th to eighth early on. 

The top 10 was completed by two Europe competitors in Fons Scheltema and Vladimir Hladik.