Nogaro Race Report – Strong Start to the 2026 Campaign

The opening round of the European Clio Cup Series brought us to Circuit Paul Armagnac in the south-west of France. A crowd of 33,550 spectators gathered for the traditional Easter Cup meeting, delivering a fantastic atmosphere for the start of the season.
We were pleased to return with Daire Flock (#22) and Ben Colburn (#55), both entering their second season with the Westbourne Motorsport Clio Cup Team.
Friday evening saw the traditional parade through the town of Nogaro, offering a brilliant opportunity to connect with fans. The drivers engaged with the local community, media, and supporters, handing out Westbourne caps and representing the team in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Race 1 – Double Podium Success Sets the Tone

A disrupted first qualifying session, impacted by a full course yellow and heavy traffic, made for a challenging start to the weekend. Despite this, both drivers delivered strong final laps to secure P9 (Flock) and P10 (Colburn) on the grid.
Going in to the first few laps, the focus for Westbourne Motorsport was firmly on a competitive midfield battle.
Flock drove a composed race, staying within the lead midfield group and capitalising on incidents ahead. Post-race penalties elevated him to an excellent P5 overall, as well as P2 in the Juniors category, marking a strong opening result.
Colburn delivered a similarly consistent performance, bringing the car home in P9 overall and securing P2 in the Challengers category. His measured approach ensured valuable points and a second category podium for the team.
It was a highly encouraging first race, with two category podiums providing a strong foundation for the weekend.

Race 2 – Resilience Rewarded in a Demanding Contest

Qualifying for Race 2 saw further progress, with Flock lining up P7 and Colburn P12 on the grid. The race itself proved more intense and incident-filled, with many close fights.
Flock showed strong pace early on but was unfortunately involved in contact with Mauro Polderman, triggering a safety car period. The incident, followed by a penalty, compromised his race and left him classified outside the top ten despite promising speed.
Colburn once again demonstrated consistency, navigating the disruptions effectively. He finished P10, inheriting the position after penalties for others, and secured another P2 in the Challengers category.