Intro:

Edward Sandstrom of Sweden and Germany's Frank Stippler of the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT won the main race at the opening FIA GT Series event at Nogaro in France on Monday after a post-race time penalty was imposed on their team mates, Rene Rast and Niki Mayr-Melnhof.

Script:

It was a wet afternoon at the Nogaro circuit in south west France on Monday as the first event on the 2013 FIA GT Series calendar concluded with the main race.

Conditions were treacherous from the very start, which began under the Safety Car.

Edward Sandstrom of Sweden and Germany's Frank Stippler of the Belgian Audi Club Team won the main race.

After a post-race time penalty was imposed on their team mates, Rene Rast and Niki Mayr-Melnhof.

Rast and co-driver Niki Mayr-Melnhof took the chequered flag but were handed a 30 second penalty for failing to switch their engine off at the mandatory pit stop.

After the 30-second penalty, the Rast/Melnhof Audi, was demoted to 7th overall and 2nd in the PRO-AM Cup class.

The championship continues in three weeks' time when the Series re-convenes at Zolder in Belgium on the weekend of 20-21 April.