Markus Winkelhock became the sixth winner in as many races in the World Series by Renault this season, the German beating countryman Daniel la Rosa and Robert Kubica in the first of the day's races at Le Mans.
Winkelhock had qualified on the pole, but it was Tristan Gommendy who made the best start to lead from third on the grid. The rest of the field - already minus Jaap van Lagen and Karun Chandhok after the series again clamped down on dangerous driving - got away with several changes in order, but still made it through the first chicane without incident. However, Giovanni Tedeschi then spoilt the impression by running into Damien Pasini, while Alx Danielsson failed to complete lap one, reducing the field by three.
The safety car was called out as a result of the rescue operation, allowing la Rosa - who had qualified fifth - to settle into an unaccustomed third place behind Gommendy and Winkelhock. The Interwetten.com pilot was followed by points leader
Robert Kubica, Will Power, Eric Salignon, Enrico Toccacelo, Andreas Zuber, Patrick Pilet - all in grid order - while Simon Pagenaud occupied tenth place
Racing resumed on lap three, without any further changes as the field streamed back towards the chicane, but Gommendy's lead was to be short-lived as his lightning start was adjudged to have been a mite
too quick, and he was handed a drive-through penalty. The Frenchman, a race winner last time out, pitted to serve his punishment after eight laps, handing control of the race to Winkelhock and rejoining back in 16th.
There was more bad news for the home crowd too as, with Danielsson already sidelined, DAMS' poor luck continued on home soil continued when stand-in Raffaele Giammaria spun off on lap five.
