Sam Bird takes Monaco Formula Renault 3.5 pole before crashing
Sam Bird stormed to pole position in Formula Renault 3.5 qualifying in Monaco, and then crashed seconds later
The ISR driver, running in the first group of the split qualifying session, which was expected to be slower due to track conditions, was a constant figure in the battle at the top of the times.
As the group A session reached its closing stages, veterans Bird and Jules Bianchi (Tech 1) made the fight for the quickest time an exclusive one between themselves. Bianchi was the first to set a time a long way clear of the rest of the field, but Bird then responded with two minutes remaining.
The Briton was on course to go faster again a lap later before having to back off for yellow flags at Rascasse, but he had time for one more lap and went one second faster than his former GP2 rival. Unaware of the size of his advantage, he continued to push and slid wide at Sainte Devote just seconds later, hitting the barrier with his left rear wheel.
Championship leader Robin Frijns (Fortec) got close to Bianchi to go third quickest in the group, with Tech 1's Kevin Korjus and Lotus's Marco Sorenson next up.
Bird then had to watch on as group B took to the track. The fight for top spot was a thriller, with Alexander Rossi and Kevin Magnussen leading the way throughout.
Quick times from Nico Muller (Draco) and Nick Yelloly (Comtec) got them in the hunt in the final seconds, but Muller's time at the top was brief as Magnussen went quickest, shortly before Rossi stole the place back at the death.
The Arden Caterham driver's time was 0.7 seconds adrift of Bird's best, meaning that the Briton took pole position, with the rest of group A lining up on the odd-numbered side of the grid.
Rossi will join him on the front row as group B takes the even-numbered positions, and behind them row two will be made up of Bianchi and Monaco rookie Magnussen (Carlin).
Frijns and Muller will share row three to make it three rookies in the top six, while Korjus and season-opener winner Yelloly are next up.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Sam Bird ISR 1m22.163s Group 1 2. Alexander Rossi Arden 1m22.863s Group 2 3. Jules Bianchi Tech 1 1m23.163s Group 1 4. Kevin Magnussen Carlin 1m22.875s Group 2 5. Robin Frijns Fortec 1m23.209s Group 1 6. Nico Muller Draco 1m23.032s Group 2 7. Kevin Korjus Tech 1 1m23.507s Group 1 8. Nick Yelloly Comtec 1m23.790s Group 2 9. Marco Sorensen Lotus 1m23.552s Group 1 10. Walter Grubmuller P1 1m23.846s Group 2 11. Mikhail Aleshin RFR 1m23.759s Group 1 12. Carlos Huertas Fortec 1m23.865s Group 2 13. Jake Rosenzweig ISR 1m24.083s Group 1 14. Will Stevens Carlin 1m23.938s Group 2 15. Richie Stanaway Lotus 1m24.546s Group 1 16. Lucas Foresti DAMS 1m24.000s Group 2 17. Arthur Pic DAMS 1m24.559s Group 1 18. Anton Nebylitskiy RFR 1m24.089s Group 2 19. Vittorio Ghirelli Comtec 1m26.112s Group 1 20. Andre Negrao Draco 1m24.149s Group 2 21. Giovanni Venturini BVM Target 1m26.921s Group 1 22. Zoel Amberg Pons 1m24.228s Group 2 23. Yann Cunha Pons 1m27.169s Group 1 24. Lewis Williamson Arden 1m24.878s Group 2 25. Nikolay Martsenko BVM Target 1m29.946s Group 1 26. Daniil Move P1 1m25.990s Group 2
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