The Danish driver scored a first this season: namely, a hat trick of wins at the same meeting(Val de Vienne). No matter what the weather conditions he dominated all his rivals on the Le Vigéant circuit, which he left leading the championship. Beside the star of the weekend, there were two French drivers on the podium in race 3, Dorian Boccolacci and Valentin Moineault.
The weather was execrable and the organisers took advantage of a lull to give the start to the third and last race of the weekend on the Le Vigeant circuit. All the ASA trainees started on wet weather rubber.
On pole position was the outstanding driver of the weekend Lasse Sorensen with Mexican Patricio O’Ward alongside him. At the start the Dane held on to first place in the third race of the weekend counting towards the French F4 Championship. Behind the leader Anglo-Swiss Félix Hirsiger in third place, who made a cautious getaway, soon overtook O’Ward immediately followed by Australian Joseph Mawson. Behind these four Dorian Boccolacci got past Valentin Moineault.
On lap 2 came the first upset in the race when Hirsiger made a mistake in the tricky conditions losing the chance of a big haul of points in view of the championship. On the following lap Mawson also got it all wrong in the same place as Hirsiger but managed to rejoin in ninth position.
All the ASA drivers had to walk a narrow tightrope on the Val de Vienne circuit due to the difficult conditions, and there were numerous errors like Bryan Elpitiya’s who fell back to fifteenth after a solid start.
As the laps unfolded Sorensen opened up a large gap over his closest pursuers pulling out more than six seconds in four laps over O’Ward from Mexico, the surprise of the weekend. Russian Denis Bulatov, who was in sparkling form on the French circuit, made a great comeback and was lying sixth after a few laps. Swiss David Droux, who had to retire due to mechanical problems, was unable to fulfill the promise shown by his scintillating comeback in race 2.
At half distance Sorensen was still way out in front followed by O’Ward, Boccolacci, Moineault, Amaury Richard, Bulatov, Swiss Paul Hokfelt Jr, Mawson, Vladimir Aotev and Valentin Hasse-Clot who rounded out the top 10.
Next time round O’Ward made a mistake allowing Boccolacci, Moineault and Richard to move up a place in the overall classification.
Mawson, who was obviously angry with himself for his mistake, had the bit between his teeth and got past Bulatov after a series of quick laps to take sixth place.
Way behind the uncatchable Sorensen, Boccolacci and Moineault went at it hammer and tongs for second place. It was the same story between Hokfelt Jr and Bulatov for seventh.
Three laps from the finish Mawson lost control of his car and hit the unfortunate O’Ward. Nonetheless, the latter managed to keep going although the rear wing mounting of his F4 was slightly damaged.
Sorensen strolled home to victory – and took the championship lead – with more than 13 seconds in hand over Boccolacci in second place and Moineault whose third spot saved a weekend that had got off to a bad start.
The next round of the French F4 Championship will take place between 5-7 September on the famous Magny-Cours circuit where the ASA trainees will continue their intense battle for the championship title.
Info Auto Sport Academy / © Photo KSP