Monza GP3: Fukuzumi inherits maiden pole in cancelled session
Honda Formula 1 junior driver Nirei Fukuzumi claimed his first GP3 pole position by default as rain washed out GP3 qualifying at Monza
Fukuzumi will start race one later today from first place as a result of setting the fastest time in yesterday's practice session ahead of the his three ART Grand Prix team-mates.
The 30-minute qualifying session that had been due to take place on Saturday morning was delayed due to torrential rain that soaked the northern Italian track shortly before the off, and was eventually cancelled when conditions did not improve.
Championship leader, and Mercedes F1 junior, George Russell, who claimed a win and second place in addition to pole and two fastest laps last time out at Spa, will line up second as he finished practice 0.099 seconds behind Fukuzumi.
Russell's closest championship rival Jack Aitken - a Renault F1 academy member - will line up fourth on the race one grid, behind Anthoine Hubert.
Dorian Boccolacci finished practice in fifth place for the Trident team at its home track, ahead of Arden International duo Steijn Schothorst and Leonardo Pulcini.
Barcelona race two winner, and Haas F1 junior driver, Arjun Maini will start from eighth on the grid, one place in front of his Jenzer Motorsport team-mate Alessio Lorandi.
Red Bull junior Daniel Ticktum, who is making his GP3 debut at Monza this weekend, rounded out the top 10 and was the fastest DAMS driver in practice.
Ferrari's GP3 junior Giuliano Alesi had targeted an improved qualifying performance in his Trident-run car after winning the last three reverse grid races at Silverstone, the Hungaroring and Spa.
But the washout meant he was not given the chance to start towards the sharp end of the race one grid, and he will line up 13th after finishing down the field in practice.
Niko Kari - who recently confirmed that he will leave the Red Bull junior team at the end of the 2017 season was just behind Alesi in 14th place after Friday's 45-minute practice session.
Sauber F1 junior and DAMS driver Tatiana Calderon will start race one from 19th, one spot in front of Kevin Jorg, who brought up the rear of the field in practice.
Qualifying result
Pos | Driver | Team | Gap |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Nirei Fukuzumi | ART Grand Prix | 1m38.594s |
2 | George Russell | ART Grand Prix | 0.099s |
3 | Anthoine Hubert | ART Grand Prix | 0.182s |
4 | Jack Aitken | ART Grand Prix | 0.192s |
5 | Dorian Boccolacci | Trident | 0.339s |
6 | Steijn Schothorst | Arden International | 0.369s |
7 | Leonardo Pulcini | Arden International | 0.377s |
8 | Arjun Maini | Jenzer Motorsport | 0.439s |
9 | Alessio Lorandi | Jenzer Motorsport | 0.554s |
10 | Dan Ticktum | DAMS | 0.638s |
11 | Marcos Siebert | Campos Racing | 0.704s |
12 | Juan Manuel Correa | Jenzer Motorsport | 0.876s |
13 | Giuliano Alesi | Trident | 0.924s |
14 | Niko Kari | Arden International | 0.971s |
15 | Raoul Hyman | Campos Racing | 1.182s |
16 | Bruno Baptista | DAMS | 1.266s |
17 | Ryan Tveter | Trident | 1.329s |
18 | Julien Falchero | Campos Racing | 1.374s |
19 | Tatiana Calderon | DAMS | 1.817s |
20 | Kevin Jorg | Trident | 2.518s |
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