Hulkenberg, Maki top first qualifying
Formula 3 Euro Series front runners Nico Hulkenberg and Mika Maki topped a qualifying session each this morning at the Masters of F3 at Zolder
The 37-car field was split into two groups, divided by even and odd race numbers, with the fastest ten cars from each session going into Group A for final qualifying this afternoon.
That session will decide the first 20 places on the grid, while those 11th and below will go into the Group B session.
Hulkenberg topped the first, odd-number, session with a best lap of 1:24.971, before Maki went quickest in the even-number session, lowering the benckmark time to a 1:24.485.
Prema teammates Stefano Coletti and Renger van der Zande ran Hulkenberg close in the first group, finshing a couple of tenths back in second and third places. One more tenth covered fourth to eighth between Richard Philippe, Brendon Hartley, Christian Vietoris, and Michael Devaney.
The battle to for a place in the top ten was just as close, with half a tenth covering eighth to 11th places. Sam Bird was the unfortunate driver, missing out on a place in the A group by 0.018s, behind Jon Lancaster, Nick Tandy, and Hitech Racing debutant, Formula Renault regular Roberto Merhi.
British series race winner Atte Mustonen also missed the top ten, as did Esteban Guerrieri.
The track appeared to be around half a second quicker by the end of the second session than in the first, and most drivers elected to pit half way through for a new set of Kumho tyres.
Maki and Koudai Tsukakoshi traded fastest times in the last couple of minutes, with Maki having the last improvement to pull a tenth clear.
Jules Bianchi was third quickest, albeit half a second back from Maki, and just two tenths of a second covered seven cars from Bianchi in third to Euro Series championship leader Edoardo Mortara in ninth. Jaime Alguersuari was a whisker slower than Bianchi, with Dani Clos, Rodolfo Gonzalez, Max Chilton, and Henkie Waldschmidt slotting in ahead of Mortara.
A further three tenths included the battle for the top ten, with Daniel Campos-Hull narrowly edging out Jean-Karl Vernay, Erik Janis, and Niall Breen for the final place.
Expected front runner James Jakes also missed the top ten. The ART Grand Prix driver waited in the pits for the first half of the session, but couldn't climb above 16th place once he took to the circuit.
Group 1 Pos Driver Team Car Time Gap 1. Nico Hulkenberg ART D/M 1:24.971 2. Stefano Coletti Prema D/M 1:25.148 +0.177 3. Renger van der Zande Prema D/M 1:25.241 +0.270 4. Richard Philippe Carlin D/M 1:25.427 +0.456 5. Brendon Hartley Carlin D/M 1:25.446 +0.475 6. Christian Vietoris Mucke D/M 1:25.472 +0.501 7. Michael Devaney Ultimate M/M 1:25.584 +0.613 8. Jon Lancaster ART D/M 1:25.777 +0.806 9. Nick Tandy JTR M/M 1:25.789 +0.818 10. Roberto Merhi Hitech D/M 1:25.805 +0.834 11. Sam Bird Manor D/M 1:25.823 +0.852 12. Yann Clairay SG D/M 1:26.059 +1.088 13. Atte Mustonen Double R D/M 1:26.211 +1.240 14. Franck Mailleux Signature D/V 1:26.321 +1.350 15. Esteban Guerrieri Ultimate M/M 1:26.352 +1.381 16. Tom Dillman Jo Zeller D/M 1:26.393 +1.422 17. Martin Plowman Signature D/V 1:26.541 +1.570 18. Kazuya Oshima Manor D/M 1:26.606 +1.635 19. Basil Shaaban HBR D/M 1:26.798 +1.827 Group 2 Pos Driver Team Car Time Gap 1. Mika Maki Mucke D/M 1:24.485 2. Koudai Tsukakoshi Manor D/M 1:24.586 +0.101 3. Jules Bianchi ART D/M 1:24.903 +0.418 4. Jaime Alguersuari Carlin D/M 1:24.920 +0.435 5. Dani Clos Prema D/M 1:25.073 +0.588 6. Rodolfo Gonzalez Carlin D/M 1:25.138 +0.653 7. Max Chilton Hitech D/M 1:25.141 +0.656 8. Henkie Waldschmidt SG D/M 1:25.169 +0.684 9. Edoardo Mortara Signature D/V 1:25.195 +0.710 10. Daniel Campos-Hull HBR D/M 1:25.289 +0.804 11. Jean-Karl Vernay Signature D/V 1:25.311 +0.826 12. Erik Janis Mucke D/M 1:25.386 +0.901 13. Niall Breen Manor D/M 1:25.447 +0.962 14. John Martin Double R D/M 1:25.675 +1.190 15. Daniel Ricciardo SG D/M 1:25.755 +1.270 16. James Jakes ART D/M 1:25.884 +1.399 17. Henry Arundel Double R D/M 1:26.022 +1.537 18. Ricardo Teixeira Ultimate M/M 1:26.673 +2.188
D/M = Dallara Mercedes, M/M = Mygale Mercedes, D/V = Dallara Volkswagen
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