Home Z - Archive seriesGP3 Ghiotto on pole again for GP3’s round two at Spielberg

Ghiotto on pole again for GP3’s round two at Spielberg

by Valentin Khorounzhiy
Photo:  Sam Bloxham / GP3 Media Service

Photo: Sam Bloxham / GP3 Media Service

Trident’s Luca Ghiotto confirmed his mastery over GP3 qualifying, taking his second pole of 2015 and his third in the series overall.

Ghiotto was fourth in practice yesterday, but looked unbeatable around Spielberg early on Saturday morning.

The Italian breezed past ART’s dueling points leaders Marvin Kirchhofer and Esteban Ocon at halfway point, establishing a shock lead of over four tenths.

Kirchhofer responded on a new set with ten minutes to go, becoming the first driver to go beyond 1:20s this weekend.

He was soon narrowly dethroned by teammate and reigning FIA F3 champion Ocon, who then had to retake his spot after Campos Racing’s Alex Palou briefly appeared in first place.

Palou was not done, stringing together two very strong sectors and looking set to take provisional pole, only to run wide on exit of the final corner. He lost control, narrowly avoided the barriers and spun around but managed to rejoin without visible damage.

Just then, however, Ghiotto was ramping up the pace and, despite being stuck behind a Status through the final sector, eased to pole by two tenths.

Points leader Ocon will start second, ahead of Palou and Kirchhofer, with Arden’s Emil Bernstorff moving up to fifth late in the session.

Rookie Matt Parry was the top Koiranen driver in sixth, ahead of Sandy Stuvik and Antonio Fuoco, who led the Carlin charge in eighth after the team locked out practice.

The other Carlin drivers Mitch Gilbert and Jann Mardenborough were tenth and 12th, joined on their rows of the grid by Jimmy Eriksson and Ralph Boschung respectively.

Qualifying results
Pos. Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Luca Ghiotto Trident 1:19.350 18
2 Esteban Ocon ART Grand Prix 1:19.555 0.205 16
3 Alex Palou Campos Racing 1:19.624 0.274 16
4 Marvin Kirchhofer ART Grand Prix 1:19.803 0.453 15
5 Emil Bernstorff Arden International 1:19.823 0.473 19
6 Matt Parry Koiranen GP 1:19.877 0.527 17
7 Sandy Stuvik Status Grand Prix 1:19.970 0.620 16
8 Antonio Fuoco Carlin 1:19.977 0.627 18
9 Jimmy Eriksson Koiranen GP 1:20.127 0.777 17
10 Mitch Gilbert Carlin 1:20.130 0.780 17
11 Ralph Boschung Jenzer Motorsport 1:20.144 0.794 18
12 Jann Mardenborough Carlin 1:20.175 0.825 18
13 Matheo Tuscher Jenzer Motorsport 1:20.296 0.946 16
14 Alfonso Celis ART Grand Prix 1:20.333 0.983 16
15 Alex Bosak Status Grand Prix 1:20.346 0.996 18
16 Artur Janosz Trident 1:20.379 1.029 19
17 Oscar Tunjo Trident 1:20.399 1.049 14
18 Kevin Ceccon Arden International 1:20.404 1.054 18
19 Pal Varhaug Jenzer Motorsport 1:20.431 1.081 17
20 Adderly Fong Koiranen GP 1:20.776 1.426 17
21 Seb Morris Status Grand Prix 1:20.787 1.437 17
22 Zaid Ashkanani Campos Racing 1:20.927 1.577 17
23 Alex Bosak Arden International 1:21.172 1.822 18
24 Samin Gomez Campos Racing 1:21.770 2.420 16