Photo: STCC
Finnish racer Joonas Lappalainen took victory in the first FR1.6 Nordic race on home turf at Botniaring.
Lappalainen controlled the race from pole position and went on to eventually cross the line more than seven seconds ahead of pre-season favorite Lukas Sundahl.
With Sundahl taking his first podium of the season in second, it was Norwegian racer Kevin Aabol who rounded out the top three, ten seconds behind the race winner.
Pontus Fredricsson took a safe fourth, while fifth-placed Robert Svensson narrowly prevailed over Scuderia Nordica duo of Oliver Soderstrom and Ralf Aron.
Finn Ilmari Korpivaara was eighth, as Paul Blomqvist, Robin Fredriksson and Karl Ero rounded out the field.
Having recorded the fastest lap of the race, Lappalainen will start the second race of the round from pole ahead of Sundahl and Aabol, who were the only other drivers to go below 1:41s in laptimes.
Race results
| Pos. | Driver | Time/Gap |
| 1 | Joonas Lappalainen | 10 laps in 16:51 |
| 2 | Lukas Sundahl | +7.362 |
| 3 | Kevin Aabol | +10.175 |
| 4 | Pontus Fredricsson | +13.657 |
| 5 | Robert Svensson | +18.436 |
| 6 | Oliver Soderstrom | +18.959 |
| 7 | Ralf Aron | +19.318 |
| 8 | Ilmari Korpivaara | +20.400 |
| 9 | Paul Blomqvist | +28.387 |
| 10 | Robin Fredriksson | +34.125 |
| 11 | Karl Ero | +1:00.048 |