Qualifying 1: Enge's provisional pole
Championship hopeful Tomas Enge took a vital provisional pole position for the tenth round of the International F3000 championship at the Hungaroring. The Czech set a time of 1m28.400s on his second run to edge out early pace-setter and series rival Giorgio Pantano by only 0.047s even after the Italian had improved
Pantano's Coloni team-mate Enrico Toccacelo set the third fastest time of the 40 minute session ahead of Ricardo Sperafico and former British F3 champion Mario Haberfeld.
Championship leader Sebastien Bourdais could manage only sixth place, and desperately needs to improve in the second session if he is to score significant points on a circuit infamous for its lack of overtaking opportunities. Bourdais currently leads Enge by five points in the championship.
However, the session was twice red flagged. The first was triggered by Kristian Kolby, making his F3000 return with European Minardi, whose front wing fell off on the start/finish straight and coated the track with debris, while Ricardo Mauricio simultaneously chucked his Red Bull Junior entered mount into the kitty litter.
Qualifying was quickly re-started, and ran smoothly until Tony Schmidt dropped a wheel off the track at a fast right-hander and was hurled nose first into the barrier with ten minutes remaining. Although the impact was sizeable, Schmidt emerged unscathed but will not be able to attempt to improve on his 19th position in the second session.
Returning Briton Justin Keen provisionally qualified 16th for European Minardi, while Rob Nguyen and Thed Bjork's sessions were ended when they stopped out on track with mechanical problems.
A second 40 minute session on Friday afternoon will finalise the grid for Saturday's race.
Tomas Enge (Arden International), 1m28.400s
Giorgio Pantano (Coloni F3000), 1m28.447s
Enrico Toccacelo (Coloni F3000), 1m28.945s
Ricardo Sperafico (Petrobraas Junior), 1m29.101s
Mario Haberfeld (Team Astromega), 1m29.465s
Sebastien Bourdais (Super Nova), 1m29.602s
Bjorn Wirdheim (Arden International), 1m29.609s
Antonio Pizzonia (Petrobras Junior), 1m29.819s
Nicolas Kiesa (PSM Racing Line), 1m29.949s
Tiago Monteiro (Super Nova Racing), 1m30.183s
Patrick Friesacher (Red Bull Junior), 1m30.272s
Derek Hill (Durango Formula), 1m30.379s
Rodrigo Sperafico (Durango Formula), 1m30.496s
Ricardo Mauricio (Red Bull Junior), 1m30.531s
Zsolt Baumgartner (Nordic Racing), 1m30.586s
Justin Keen (European Minardi), 1m31.406s
Kristian Kolby (European Minardi), 1m31.445s
Rob Nguyen (Team Astromega), 1m31.521s
Tony Schmidt (PSM Racing Line), 1m31.748s
Thed Bjork (Nordic Racing), 1m32.406s
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