Winner of race 1, Lasse Sorensen from Denmark inherited a second victory because of the time penalty imposed on young Russian Vladimir Atoev, who was held responsible for a collision with the unfortunate Max Defourny from Belgium in the lead at the very end of the race. Behind Sorensen came Anglo-Swiss Felix Hirsiger, racking up another top-3 finish, and Frenchman Valentin Hasse Clot.
Thanks to the principle of the reversed grid for the first 10 classified finishers in the first heat, newcomer to the French F4 Championship Max Defourny from Belgium was on pole for the second race in the Gers department. He shared the front row with Australian Joseph Mawson. On row 2 were Vladimir Atoev and Valentin Moineault. Russian Denis Bulatov and Valentin Hasse Clot, who had supplied a lot of the on-track action in race 1, were on row 3.
The 24 ASA trainees all got away cleanly from the start which passed off without incident. Bulatov nipped past Moineault to snatch fourth place while Atoev held on to third despite an attack from Mawson in the first few metres.
On lap 2 Mawson went off taking the unlucky Bulatov with him. This incident helped Moineault to get back into fourth and Hirsiger, who had made a blinding start, to go into third! Atoev was stuck to the gearbox of the race leader, Defourny.
Hasse Clot, who has been at home on the Nogaro circuit all weekend, emulated Hirsiger and continued to move up the time sheets overtaking Moineault on lap 3 to go into fourth.
Sorensen, the winner of race 1, picked off his rivals methodically as he fought his way back to the front. After five laps he already had his sights on Moineault whom he quickly overtook.
Dorian Boccolacci made a cautious start to the race and began to up the pace as the half-distance mark approached in order to score big points.
Soon after the start of the second half of the heat Sorensen continued his master class as he moved up through the field. He got past Hasse Clot and went into fourth place. There was a ding-dong fight going on for 10th spot between Patricio O’Ward and Paul Hokfelt Jr from Switzerland to clinch the last point.
In the meantime Defourny continued to lead the race less than a second in front of Atoev who increased his speed and began to monster the Belgian as he was determined to win.
These two had opened up a gap of more than three seconds over Hirsiger who was now coming under threat from Sorensen.
A few laps from the end Boccolacci was all over Moineault, and the latter defended his place tooth and nail despite the repeated attacks of his fellow-countryman.
With two laps to go to the flag there was nothing in it between the first two cars. Atoev in second place tried to pass Defourny at the end of the straight. Neither would give way and the inevitable result was a collision, in which the Belgian was punted off and had to retire on the spot.
On the last lap Sorensen passed Hirsiger and took second place behind the winner Atoev. The Anglo-Swiss finished on the third step of the podium. Behind him came Hasse Clot in fourth place and Boccolacci who manged to snatch fifth from Moineault.
Completing the top 10 were O’Ward, Niclas Nylund from Finland, Frenchman Bryan Elpitiya and Swede Reuben Kressner who scored the final point.
All these drivers moved up a place when the stewards judged Atoev responsible for the collision with Defourny, and they gave the Russian a 30-second penalty dropping him back to 19th place.
Sorensen, who set the fastest time in qualifying, will start race 3 from pole in front of Boccolacci and Atoev.
Rendezvous for race 3: Sunday 28th September at 10h20.
Info Auto Sport Academy / © Photo KSP