Buemi win keeps title fight alive
Sebastien Buemi kept his title hopes alive by winning the second Formula Three Euro Series race at Nogaro on Sunday
Buemi only started fifth on the grid but he was already up to second by the end of the first lap. Polesitter Jean-Karl Vernay was slow away, while fellow front-row starter Franck Mailleux stalled and was fortunate not to be hit as the pack streamed by.
Buemi's start was excellent though, and he jumped Yelmer Buurman just as he had in the first race the previous day.
It was Edoardo Mortara who led from third on the grid and for the first half of the race he was untouchable, streaking into a seven-second lead after 10 laps.
But he was handed a drive-through penalty for creeping before the start lights went out and he dropped back to eighth.
Buemi still had to fight hard for his victory, though, with Kamui Kobayashi chasing him all the way to the end.
Kobayashi mounted a last lap effort to steal the lead at the hairpin at the end of the back straight, but Buemi kept his nerve and just held onto the place.
Buemi said: "It was hard to keep him behind because he was definitely quicker, but the only place he could pass was at the end of the long straight and I made sure to position my car well each time."
Nico Hulkenberg finished third, with first race winner Romain Grosjean a quiet fifth behind Vernay. Grosjean is now seven points ahead of Buemi going into the season finale at Hockenheim on October 13-14.
Pos Driver Car/Engine Time
1. Sebastien Buemi Dallara/Mercedes 40:48.483
2. Kamui Kobayashi Dallara/Mercedes +0.488
3. N.Hulkenberg Dallara/Mercedes +1.181
4. Jean-Karl Vernay Dallara/Mercedes +2.475
5. Romain Grosjean Dallara/Mercedes +3.038
6. Yann Clairay Dallara/Mercedes +4.541
7. Yelmer Buurman Dallara/Mercedes +5.108
8. Edoardo Mortara Dallara/Mercedes +5.871
9. Maximilian Gotz Dallara/Volkswagen +6.339
10. Daniel Clos Dallara/Mercedes +7.194
11. H.Schlegelmilch Dallara/Mercedes +7.653
12. J.Summerton Dallara/Volkswagen +8.349
13. Tim Sandtler Dallara/Mercedes +9.159
14. R.van der Zande Dallara/Mercedes +9.903
15. Filip Salaquarda Dallara/Mercedes +10.649
16. Cyndie Allemann Dallara/Mercedes +14.532
17. Michael Patrizi Dallara/Mercedes +20.940
18. Franck Mailleux Dallara/Mercedes +21.468
19. Tom Dillmann Dallara/Mercedes +23.376
20. Sergei Afanasiev Dallara/Mercedes +36.987
21. Marco Holzer Dallara/Volkswagen +43.047
22. Basil Shaaban Dallara/Mercedes +50.397
23. Edoardo Piscopo Dallara/Mercedes +2 laps
Not classified
Euan Hankey Dallara/Mercedes 14 laps
James Jakes Dallara/Mercedes 13 laps
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