F3: Hiyu Yamakoshi starts from pole in Spielberg

      Hiyu Yamakoshi set the best time in the Formula 3 qualifying at the fourth stage of the season in Spielberg, Austria. Alongside him, the leader of the individual standings, Hugo Ugochukwu, will start from the front row in the Sunday race. The drivers did not wait in the pits and immediately went out on the track when the countdown for the 30-minute qualifying session began. Yamakoshi set the first benchmark with a lap time of 1:22.204 seconds. But almost immediately, Tuukka Taponen surpassed the Japanese driver's result by just two thousandths. Noy Stromsted gained a tenth on both of them, but on his second fast lap, Taponen regained the lead with a new benchmark of 1:21.775 seconds. There were some excursions off the track, which led to the cancellation of lap times. For the second attempt, most drivers went out ten minutes before the end of the session, but Yamakoshi did it a few minutes earlier, completed a lap on an empty track, and regained the top position in the protocol with a time of 1:21.730 seconds. In the second attempt, the leader of the individual standings, Hugo Ugochukwu, climbed to second place. Taito Kato, who was vying for a spot in the top five, lost control of his car on the curb exiting the ninth corner and went off the track, prompting a brief appearance of yellow flags. No one was able to surpass Yamakoshi's result, who will start from pole position in Formula 3 for the first time. Theophile Nael, who won the first three qualifying sessions of the season, only managed to set the twenty-fourth fastest time. The starting grid for the sprint is reversed – the drivers who took the first twelve places will start tomorrow in reverse order. Thus, James Wharton will start from pole position on Saturday. Alongside him from the front row will be Ernesto Rivera.

      

       Driver

       Team

       Time

       Difference

       Laps

      

      

      

      

       1. H. Yamakoshi

       Van Amersfoort Racing

       1'21.730

       -

       16

      

      

       2. H. Ugochukwu

       Campos Racing

       1'21.745

       0.015

       13

      

      

       3. T. Taponen

       MP Motorsport

       1'21.775

       0.045

       13

      

      

       4. N. Stromsted

       Trident

       1'21.859

       0.129

       13

      

      

       5. F. Slater

       Trident

       1'21.930

       0.200

       13

      

      

       6. A. Giusti

       MP Motorsport

       1'21.975

       0.245

       13

      

      

       7. T. Kato

       ART Grand Prix

       1'22.003

       0.273

       14

      

      

       8. K. Lee

       ART Grand Prix

       1'22.040

       0.310

       14

      

      

       9. D. Nakamura

       Hitech

       1'22.059

       0.329

       13

      

      

       10. P. Clero

       Rodin Motorsport

       1'22.067

       0.337

       13

      

      

       11. E. Rivera

       Campos Racing

       1'22.082

       0.352

       13

      

      

       12. J. Wharton

       Prema Racing

       1'22.101

       0.371

       13

      

      

       13. B. del Pino

       Van Amersfoort Racing

       1'22.142

       0.412

       15

      

      

       14. M. Gladys

       ART Grand Prix

       1'22.156

       0.426

       13

      

      

       15. E. Deligny

       Van Amersfoort Racing

       1'22.161

       0.431

       16

      

      

       16. K. Ho

       Rodin Motorsport

       1'22.165

       0.435

       13

      

      

       17. N. Lacorte

       DAMS Lucas Oil

       1'22.212

       0.482

       14

      

      

       18. M. Kolnagi

       MP Motorsport

       1'22.251

       0.521

       13

      

      

       19. J. Si

       DAMS Lucas Oil

       1'22.268

       0.538

       14

      

      

       20. L. Sharp

       Prema Racing

       1'22.283

       0.553

       13

      

      

       21. N. Bhirombhakdi

       DAMS Lucas Oil

       1'22.311

       0.581

       13

      

      

       22. M. de Palo

       Trident

       1'22.314

       0.584

       13

      

      

       23. F. McLaughlin

       Hitech

       1'22.336

       0.606

       13

      

      

       24. T. Nael

       Campos Racing

       1'22.226

       0.496

       13

      

      

       25. S. Hanna

       AIX Racing

       1'22.503

       0.773

       13

      

      

       26. H. Garfias

       Prema Racing

       1'22.581

       0.851

       13

      

      

       27. E. David

       AIX Racing

       1'22.678

       0.948

       13

      

      

       28. F. Barrichello

       AIX Racing

       1'22.749

       1.019

       13

      

      

       29. B. Badoer

       Rodin Motorsport

       1'22.514

       0.784

       13

      

      

       30. W. Shin

       Hitech

       1'22.920

       1.190

       13