Qualifying 1: Matsuura on pole

Kousuke Matsuura has his work cut out if he is going to be this year's German Formula 3 champion, but he kept his hopes alive by setting pole position for Sunday's race at Zandvoort in Holland, and pegged back Gary Paffett's series lead in the process

Sep 27, 2002, 5:40 PM

Paffett could only manage the fifth quickest time in his Team Rosberg Dallara-Opel, but Matsuura topped the timesheets with a 1m33.510s lap in his PREMA-run car, earning himself an extra point as he attempts to claw in Paffett's lead. Paffett's team-mate Kimmo Liimatainen was second fastest, his best result of the season, ahead of the second PREMA car of Toyota F1 tester Ryan Briscoe.

Former British championship runner Robert Doornbos was fourth fastest ahead of Paffett and former championship leader Frank Diefenbacher's BSR Dallara-Opel.

1 Kousuke Matsuura, PREMA Dallara-Opel, 1m33.510s
2 Kimmo Liimatainen, Rosberg Dallara-Opel, 1m33.784s
3 Ryan Briscoe, PREMA Dallara-Opel, 1m34.178s
4 Robert Doornbos, Ghinzani Dallara-Mugen, 1m34.247s
5 Gary Paffett, Rosberg Dallara-Opel, 1m34.353s
6 Frank Diefenbacher, BSR Dallara-Opel, 1m34.356s