Silverstone European F3: Rosenqvist takes pole for season opener

The Swede's Prema Powerteam Dallara-Mercedes headed the Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen of Antonio Giovinazzi by over a quarter of a second, with another Prema driver - Briton Jake Dennis - also making sure the rookies were put in their place by taking third.

Rosenqvist, Giovinazzi and Dennis positioned themselves perfectly on an otherwise cluttered track as the 35-car field slugged it out to find a space, the three of them running within sight of each other with no slow traffic getting in the way.

Track conditions had changed since free practice, and the leading trio were all surprised that their quickest times came on their first hot lap.

"Free practice was not too bad, and with all my team-mates in the top seven we knew performance was already really good," said Rosenqvist.

"The target was just to find a place on the track and trust the car, but the tyres came in surprisingly early.

"Already my first pushing lap was the best one, although I was not really on the limit, so for sure there was more time in the car theoretically, although it was the same for everybody."

Giovinazzi was pleased with second, although the Italian Jagonya Ayam protege reckoned two small mistakes - at Abbey and Stowe - on his best lap cost him pole.

Brit George Russell took his Carlin machine to fourth place, the McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winner pipping Van Amersfoort Racing's Charles Leclerc in the fight to be best rookie by three hundredths.

Free practice pacesetter Brandon Maisano rounded out the top six, the Frenchman and team-mate Lance Stroll (eighth) forming a Prema sandwich around Alexander Albon, who took his Signature car to seventh place.

Motopark driver Markus Pommer and Carlin's latest Red Bull junior Callum Ilott rounded out the top 10, on identical times.

QUALIFYING RESULTS: