Home Formula 3GB3 Fonseca tops final qualifying of Winter Series

Fonseca tops final qualifying of Winter Series

by Valentin Khorounzhiy
Photo: BRDC F4

Photo: BRDC F4

Douglas Motorsport’s Rodrigo Fonseca took his first pole position in BRDC F4 in Sunday qualifying for the Winter Championship at Brands Hatch.

Fonseca battled it out for the top spot with Connor Jupp before the Mectech racer went off in the gravel, causing a red flag.

The Mexican, who was ahead when the session was halted, was subsequently not troubled in first until the checkered flag came out.

Despite going off, Jupp maintained second – but will start the first race fifth with a three-place grid penalty.

Championship frontrunners Will Palmer and Gaetano di Mauro were initially fighting for best of the rest, but neither of them will get to inherit a front row spot, as they were both jumped by Enzo Bortoleto at the last second.

As such, Bortoleto, who hasn’t finished higher than sixth in the series thus far, will get his best shot at a good result yet, starting from P2.

Palmer will line up in third, ahead of di Mauro, while Fernando Urrutia will join Jupp on row three.

Chris Dittmann Racing’s Paul Sieljes, Sean Walkinshaw Racing’s Jordan Albert and HHC’s Zubair Hoque completed the order.

Race results
Pos. Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Rodrigo Fonseca Douglas Motorsport 56.934 18
2 Enzo Bortoleto PetroBall 57.352 0.418 20
3 Will Palmer HHC Motorsport 57.412 0.478 19
4 Gaetano di Mauro PetroBall 57.569 0.635 20
5 Connor Jupp* Mectech Motorsport 57.157 0.223 7
6 Fernando Urrutia Sean Walkinshaw Racing 57.728 0.794 20
7 Paul Sieljes Chris Dittmann Racing 57.828 0.894 20
8 Jordan Albert Sean Walkinshaw Racing 58.099 1.165 20
9 Zubair Hoque HHC Motorsport 58.387 1.453 20

* – three-place grid penalty