Nurburgring GP3: ART's Facu Regalia grabs maiden pole
Facu Regalia took pole position in a thrilling GP3 qualifying session at the Nurburgring on Saturday morning
The Argentinian ART racer scored his maiden GP3 pole thanks mainly to a blinding first sector time that was over a tenth clear of his rivals. His eventual advantage over Manor's Tio Ellinas was 0.054 seconds.
The times constantly tumbled throughout the 30-minute session as teams decided that track position was more important than saving tyres, which meant multiple runs.
The improving Alex Fontana will start third for Jenzer, his one of the latest times to be set in the session.
Silverstone victor Jack Harvey was fourth fastest, ahead of fellow Brits Lewis Williamson, Nick Yelloly and comeback man Alexander Sims.
Daniil Kvyat will start eighth, followed by Silverstone poleman Kevin Korjus and Carlos Sainz Jr, the latter escaping an early spin in the Mercedes Arena.
Title contender Conor Daly suffered a wretched session, and salvaged 14th, ahead of usual frontrunners Patric Niederhauser, Dino Zamparelli, Aaro Vainio and Silverstone race-two winner, Giovanni Venturini.
Expect a race within a race between them in the Saturday afternoon race as they target the eighth place that becomes pole on race two's reversed grid.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Facu Regalia ART 1m44.170s 2. Tio Ellinas Manor 1m44.224s +0.054s 3. Alex Fontana Jenzer 1m44.482s +0.312s 4. Jack Harvey ART 1m44.566s +0.396s 5. Lewis Williamson Bamboo 1m44.602s +0.432s 6. Nick Yelloly Carlin 1m44.619s +0.449s 7. Alexander Sims Status 1m44.670s +0.500s 8. Daniil Kvyat MW Arden 1m44.675s +0.505s 9. Kevin Korjus Koiranen 1m44.685s +0.515s 10. Carlos Sainz Jr MW Arden 1m44.686s +0.516s 11. Robert Visoiu MW Arden 1m44.881s +0.711s 12. Eric Lichtenstein Carlin 1m44.945s +0.775s 13. Melville Mckee Bamboo 1m44.958s +0.788s 14. Conor Daly ART 1m45.015s +0.845s 15. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer 1m45.073s +0.903s 16. Dino Zamparelli Manor 1m45.151s +0.981s 17. Aaro Vainio Koiranen 1m45.204s +1.034s 18. Giovanni Venturini Trident 1m45.260s +1.090s 19. Jimmy Eriksson Status 1m45.385s +1.215s 20. Luis Sa Silva Carlin 1m45.441s +1.271s 21. David Fumanelli Trident 1m45.469s +1.299s 22. Patrick Kujala Koiranen 1m45.515s +1.345s 23. Emanuele Zonzini Trident 1m46.191s +2.021s 24. Josh Webster Status 1m46.675s +2.505s 25. Samin Gomez Jenzer 1m46.808s +2.638s 26. Ryan Cullen Manor 1m47.644s +3.474s 27. Carmen Jorda Bamboo 1m49.033s +4.863s
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