Monza Formula V8 3.5: Roy Nissany takes Sunday pole position

In a formidable display by the Charouz-run Lotus team, Nissany edged out team-mate Rene Binder by 0.180s, thanks to a last lap effort of 1m34.798s.

Heavy rain overnight left the circuit damp at the start of qualifying, but as lap times fell Nissany timed his final lap to perfection to jump from seventh to first.

"That was tricky," said Nissany, who won yesterday's first race.

"On the first stint it was wet in some parts and dry in some parts, and it started to be a game of gambling between the wet and the dry.

"I was focusing on first half of qualifying on learning the track conditions, rather than lap times.

"My engineer was urging me on the radio to push and push, but I was calculating where it would get drier.

"The Parabolica was still wet on the inside until the last lap, so everyone had to do an outside line.

"On my last stint, I was also building up slowly, making sure not to go onto any kerbs - it was very slippery.

Binder suggested the lack of a slipstream held him back on his way to second.

"The car is really strong, I had no tow - I was always driving alone," said Binder.

"When I went out at the start of the session, the track was even worse than I expected. You couldn't see clearly where it was wet and dry.

"Yesterday I had the pace to be on the podium, but it was a very strange start with people cutting the first chicane."

Behind Binder, series returnee Will Buller was third for RP Motorsport.

The Super Formula racer, who is having his first FV8 3.5 outing of the year, believes the mandatory pit stops could aid his progress in the race.

"We knew the potential was there since yesterday," he said.

"It was close at the end, but I didn't manage to get a tow, and obviously the Lotuses have managed to do a good job.

Championship leader Tom Dillmann will join Buller on the second row of this afternoon's race.

Egor Orudzhev reported that he had the car to be on pole in qualifying, but suffered from an unidentified issue in the final stages of the session.

The Arden racer will head the third row, from Saturday front row qualifier Pietro Fittipaldi.

The Brazilian's Fortec team-mate Louis Deletraz qualified down in eighth, and will have his work cut out to repeat his race one second place.

QUALIFYING TIMES: