Monza GP2: Max Chilton takes pole before spinning off
Max Chilton will start the GP2 feature race at Monza from pole position, despite ending the session in the gravel at the Parabolica
Carlin driver Chilton was attempting to improve on his 1m31.886s pole position time in the closing moments. He was up on his previous best in sector one, but lost control in the middle of the Parabolica and spun into the gravel.
The yellow flags meant his rivals could not improve even if they had the speed.
Giedo van der Garde will start second for Caterham, having set the pace after the first runs. But Chilton bettered him by 0.067 seconds to take his second pole of the season.
Johnny Cecotto Jr took third for Addax, ahead of comeback kid Luca Filippi of Coloni - who will move up a place when Cecotto's five-place grid penalty for causing a crash at Spa is applied. Saturday will be Filippi's first single-seater race for 12 months.
Of the title rivals, Davide Valsecchi scored a victory of sorts with fifth, as the man he is tied on points with, Luiz Razia, will start down in 12th.
James Calado, who is third in points, will start 13th, after crashing in practice in the morning, with fourth-placed Esteban Gutierrez qualifying ninth.
Spa winner Marcus Ericsson took sixth, despite a trip into the gravel at the Lesmos, ahead of Fabios Leimer and Onidi.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Max Chilton Carlin 1m31.886s 2. Giedo van der Garde Caterham 1m31.953s + 0.067s 3. Johnny Cecotto Jr Addax 1m32.151s + 0.265s 4. Luca Filippi Coloni 1m32.165s + 0.279s 5. Davide Valsecchi DAMS 1m32.208s + 0.322s 6. Marcus Ericsson iSport 1m32.216s + 0.330s 7. Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering 1m32.324s + 0.438s 8. Fabio Onidi Coloni 1m32.388s + 0.502s 9. Esteban Gutierrez Lotus 1m32.396s + 0.510s 10. Felipe Nasr DAMS 1m32.462s + 0.576s 11. Rio Haryanto Carlin 1m32.471s + 0.585s 12. Luiz Razia Arden 1m32.495s + 0.609s 13. James Calado Lotus 1m32.622s + 0.736s 14. Nigel Melker Ocean 1m32.625s + 0.739s 15. Jolyon Palmer iSport 1m32.659s + 0.773s 16. Stefano Coletti Rapax 1m32.675s + 0.789s 17. Nathanael Berthon Racing Engineering 1m32.769s + 0.883s 18. Sergio Canamasas Lazarus 1m32.772s + 0.886s 19. Simon Trummer Arden 1m32.889s + 1.003s 20. Victor Guerin Ocean 1m32.911s + 1.025s 21. Rene Binder Lazarus 1m32.967s + 1.081s 22. Stephane Richelmi Trident 1m32.969s + 1.083s 23. Julian Leal Trident 1m32.989s + 1.103s 24. Jake Rosenzweig Addax 1m33.109s + 1.223s 25. Rodolfo Gonzalez Caterham 1m33.511s + 1.625s 26. Ricardo Teixeira Rapax 1m33.719s + 1.833s
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