Algarve European F3: Alexander Albon, Felix Rosenqvist take poles

Signature racer Albon took his third pole of the season after battling with the dominant quartet from Prema Powerteam, beating Rosenqvist by just 0.027 seconds.

NEWS UPDATE: Albon excluded from qualifying

Though beaten to the outright fastest time, Rosenqvist arguably had the better session as he followed up his race-two second place with pole for the finale, thanks to a string of consistent laps, while Albon could only 12th for race three.

Rosenqvist also outpaced the rest of the Prema line-up, starting race two ahead of team-mates Nick Cassidy and Lance Stroll, with race one polesitter Jake Dennis rounding off the top five on the grid.

Prema fills first to third for race three with Rosenqvist leading Stroll and Dennis.

The fourth Prema car of Cassidy meanwhile will start 15th in the final race, with Antonio Giovinazzi suffering a similar fate.

The championship leader's best time secured him sixth in race two, but he will start 16th in the following.

George Russell benefited from their inconsistency and will start eighth and fourth, while Gustavo Menezes and Pietro Fittipaldi also proved consistent with starts of seventh and fifth for Menezes, while Fittipaldi took 10th and ninth.

Serge Sette Camara again impressed in qualifying, taking seventh behind Mikkel Jensen and placing ahead of Markus Pommer.

Albon's team-mate Dorian Boccolacci secured a top 10 berth in race two with ninth, while Callum Ilott will start 10th in the third.

Charles Leclerc's hopes of closing on Rosenqvist and Giovinazzi in the standings took a setback as he grabbed a brace of 11th place starts.

RACE TWO QUALIFYING:

RACE THREE QUALIFYING: