Trident’s Richard Verschoor set the fastest qualifying time on the streets of Monte Carlo to secure his first Formula 2 pole position.
The field was split into two groups to determine the grid for the weekend’s two races, with the even-numbered cars taking part in the first 15-minute session, and the odd-numbered competitors contesting the second one. With Thursday’s practice having taken place in wet conditions, qualifying was the first time the drivers ventured out on slick tyres.
ART Grand Prix’ Zak O’Sullivan initially led the first group, with Verschoor 0.113s behind. There was frightening near-miss in the tunnel early on when Rodin Motorsport’s Ritomo Miyata slowed with an issue on the racing line, with the unsighted Isack Hadjar having to take avoiding action while on a flying lap.
Campos Racing’s Hadjar bounced back from that scare to move into second, 0.157s behind Verschoor who topped the session with a 1m21.283s, while Franco Colapinto (MP Motorsport) and Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Prema) moved up to third and fourth late ahead of Invicta Racing’s Gabriel Bortoleto.
The second group of drivers then headed out for their session, as Verschoor faced an anxious wait to find out if his time was good enough for feature race pole.
There was an early red flag caused by Rafael Villagomez getting sideways and clattering the barriers at Sainte Devote, with points leader Zale Maloney heading the time sheet with an unrepresentative 1m31.871s. Lap times tumbled at the resumption, with ART’s Victor Martins posting a 1m22.690s to hold a 0.261s advantage over Trident’s Roman Stanek.
Maloney lowered the session benchmark with a 1m.21.941s but he was then demoted by both Martins and Stanek, the former reclaiming first place with a 1m21.466s. Hauger moved into second, but was delayed on his next lap by a slow-moving Stanek who had hit the barriers at Tabac, with the resultant yellow flags also forcing Maloney to abandon his lap.
The track was clear for Martins, who posted an even quicker effort of 1m21.310s to top the session, but having not beaten Verschoor’s effort from the first group will line up from second on the grid in Sunday’s feature race.
Hitech GP’s Paul Aron snatched second before the chequered flag to put him fourth on the grid alongside Hadjar, with Stanek due to line up alongside Colapinto on row three having finished the second session in third.
Antonelli and Hauger will start from seventh and eight on the grid ahead of Bortoleto and AIX Racing’s Taylor Barnard, the latter provisionally securing reversed-grid pole for Saturday’s sprint race.
Prema’s Ollie Bearman could only manage the sixth fastest time in the second group, and will start both of the weekend’s races from 12th behind Van Amersfoort Racing’s Enzo Fittipaldi, while Maloney slipped back to seventh and 14th overall behind DAMS’s Juan Manuel Correa.
Featured image credit: Formula Motorsport Ltd
