Liam Lawson dominates first Euroformula Open race in Pau

Photo: Fotospeedy

Liam Lawson dominated the first Euroformula Open race in Pau, in which a pre-race rain shower led to only seven drivers finishing on the lead lap.

Rain started falling just before cars were sent to the circuit, and the field was granted reconnaissance laps to judge the track conditions and warm up their tyres.

Race organisers decided to classify the race as wet, and several drivers switched from slick to wet tyres on the grid.

The front group stuck with slicks though, and Lawson immediately streaked off into a lead that put him out of sight of his opposition within the first few laps.

While wet tyre-shod Billy Monger had climbed from 10th on the grid to the top six by the second corner, it was clear that the track was too dry for the compound and the wet runners all pitted within the first few laps.

This put them a lap down thanks to Lawson’s unrivalled pace, but in the way of most of his opposition. As a result his lead grew even further, and he ended the race 16 seconds clear of second place.

Julian Hanses cleared team-mate Marino Sato at the start to take second place, and with Sato maintaining position behind it meant Motopark secured a podium lockout.

After the fourth Motopark car of Yuki Tsunoda pulled into the pits and retired, and Carlin’s Nicolai Kjaergaard crashed out at the fast Foch chicane, Teo Martin Motorsport’s Lukas Dunner was left to finish fourth. He was unable to challenge Sato though, with lapped traffic frequently separating the pair.

Double R Racing’s Linus Lundqvist finished a distant fifth, while his team-mate Jack Doohan was another to go a lap down and crash out.

Fortec Motorsports scored its first points of the season in sixth and seventh with Cameron Das ans Calan Williams, while Aldo Festante (Teo Martin), Monger (Carlin) and Guilherme Samaia (Teo Martin) all persevered with a being a lap down to score points.

Race results (27 laps)