Roberto Merhi keeps pole for the Masters of Formula 3, as Marco Wittmann tops wet second qualifying

Signature driver Wittmann was 0.335s quicker than Merhi in the session, but his table-topping time of 1m47.803s was still around 17s slower than the Spaniard managed in the dry earlier session.

Indeed, deteriorating conditions prior to qualifying two prompted the race officials to delay its start, as it was clear drivers would be powerless to improve on their grid placings.

"It is a good start for me and the team," said Merhi. "In the Euro Series we have not been so competitive during qualifying, but we're really fast during the races. Today we showed to everybody that we can be very competitive.

"I did a mistake on my last two sectors on my fastest lap, but it was enough for pole. My goal is obviously to win such an important race tomorrow, and I think I have a good chance as were so competitive in both the rain and the dry."

Daniel Juncadella's glum predictions following the opening session that rain could scupper his chances to overhaul a 0.008s deficit to Merhi were realised. The Catalan will join his Prema Powerteam-mate on the front row of the grid for Sunday's 25 lap race.

"It's a little bit of a shame for me to start second by eighth-thousandths," said Juncadella. "I did a little mistake on my lap, but perhaps the result is fair as he also made a mistake. The important thing is that the team is going great. If nothing strange happens we should finish one-two, I just really hope that it's not me who is second."

The trying track conditions contributed to a couple of minor off-track incidents. Fortec's British F3 regular Lucas Foresti, making an outing with Euro Series frontrunners Mucke Motorsport, brought out the red flags in the closing minutes when his car became beached in a gravel trap.

At the time of the stoppage Merhi headed Carlin racer Kevin Magnussen at the top of time sheets, but neither driver elected to take to the track for the final three minutes of action.

Wittmann, who will start fourth tomorrow behind Swede Felix Rosenqvist (Mucke Motorsport), was among the majority of drivers who decided to make a final run.

While Wittmann was rewarded with the honour of fastest time, Rupert Svendsen-Cook was less fortunate and removed the front wing of his Carlin machine after finding the tyre barriers.

Second qualifying times

Pos  Driver                Team           Car            Time       Gap
 1.  Marco Wittmann        Signature    Dallara-VW    1m47.803s  
 2.  Roberto Merhi         Prema        Dallara-Merc  1m48.183s  + 0.335s 
 3.  Kevin Magnussen       Carlin       Dallara-VW    1m48.648s  + 0.845s 
 4.  Daniel Abt            Signature    Dallara-VW    1m48.723s  + 0.920s
 5.  Lucas Foresti         Mucke        Dallara-Merc  1m48.995s  + 1.192s
 6.  Daniel Juncadella     Prema        Dallara-Merc  1m49.141s  + 1.338s
 7.  Felix Rosenqvist      Mucke        Dallara-Merc  1m49.291s  + 1.488s
 8.  Carlos Munoz          Signature    Dallara-VW    1m49.493s  + 1.690s 
 9.  Nigel Melker          Mucke        Dallara-Merc  1m49.909s  + 2.106s
10.  Laurens Vanthoor      Signature    Dallara-VW    1m49.972s  + 2.169s
11.  Pipo Derani           Prema        Dallara-Merc  1m51.583s  + 3.780s
12.  Jimmy Eriksson        Motopark     Dallara-VW    1m51.590s  + 3.787s
13.  Rupert Svendsen-Cook  Carlin       Dallara-VW    1m51.636s  + 3.833s
14.  Kimiya Sato           Motopark     Dallara-VW    1m51.742s  + 3.939s
15.  Jazeman Jaafar        Carlin       Dallara-VW    1m52.220s  + 4.417s
16.  Carlos Huertas        Carlin       Dallara-VW    1m53.408s  + 5.605s

Combined qualifying times
Pos  Driver                Team         Car           Time       Gap
 1.  Roberto Merhi         Prema        Dallara-Merc  1m30.750s
 2.  Daniel Juncadella     Prema        Dallara-Merc  1m30.758s  + 0.008s
 3.  Felix Rosenqvist      Mucke        Dallara-Merc  1m31.055s  + 0.305s
 4.  Marco Wittmann        Signature    Dallara-VW    1m31.266s  + 0.516s
 5.  Kevin Magnussen       Carlin       Dallara-VW    1m31.295s  + 0.545s 
 6.  Nigel Melker          Mucke        Dallara-Merc  1m31.411s  + 0.661s
 7.  Laurens Vanthoor      Signature    Dallara-VW    1m31.530s  + 0.780s
 8.  Rupert Svendsen-Cook  Carlin       Dallara-VW    1m31.599s  + 0.849s
 9.  Daniel Abt            Signature    Dallara-VW    1m31.914s  + 1.164s
10.  Lucas Foresti         Mucke        Dallara-Merc  1m31.933s  + 1.183s
11.  Pipo Derani           Prema        Dallara-Merc  1m32.096s  + 1.346s
12.  Jazeman Jaafar        Carlin       Dallara-VW    1m32.123s  + 1.373s
13.  Carlos Munoz          Signature    Dallara-VW    1m32.315s  + 1.565s
14.  Jimmy Eriksson        Motopark     Dallara-VW    1m32.526s  + 1.776s
15.  Carlos Huertas        Carlin       Dallara-VW    1m32.529s  + 1.779s
16.  Kimiya Sato           Motopark     Dallara-VW    1m32.694s  + 1.944s