HIYU YAMAKOSHI BREAKS NAEL’S STREAK TO TAKE POLE IN F3
Formula 3 qualifying in Spielberg started with drivers leaving the pit lane for their first flying laps after warm-up runs. Everyone was trying to get their tyres and brakes ready for the best possible lap, while also looking for clean air and a tow on the long straights.
Théophile Naël arrived in strong form after taking three pole positions at the start of the season. There was attention on whether he could take another pole or if a new driver would take the top spot in 2026.
The early part of the session was very busy. Drivers fought for position on track, and traffic played a big role. Several laps were affected as drivers tried to find space for a clear run.
MP Motorsport showed strong pace early on, with Taponen setting the benchmark ahead of his teammate Strømsted. Giusti also stayed close behind, as the team locked out the top positions in the first phase of the session.
Ugochukwu moved up to second place, while Slater went up to fourth. Yamakoshi briefly went fastest but lost his lap time due to track limits, dropping him back in the order.
There was also drama for Taito Kato, who spun at the final corner while fighting for a top position. Naël had a promising lap but made a mistake at the penultimate corner, which left him without a strong result.
As the session continued, improvements kept coming in. Clerot finished in 11th place, just ahead of Rivera, who secured reverse grid pole for the Sprint Race. The top ten also included Taponen, Strømsted, Slater, Giusti, Kato, Colnaghi, Le and Nakamura.
In the final stages, drivers continued to push for improvements, but traffic and track limits made it difficult to find clean laps. The fight for pole remained close until the end, with small gaps separating the fastest drivers.
Colnaghi was then pushed down to P18, as his fastest lap was deleted for track limits.
James Wharton will lead the field away in Saturday’s Sprint Race, sharing the front row with Ernesto Rivera, while Pedro Clerot lines up in third after a strong qualifying performance.
Alessandro Giusti has received a 3-place grid penalty for both F3 races this weekend. The French driver impeded Christian Ho during qualifying. He will start P9 instead of P6 in the Feature Race, while tomorrow he will start P10 instead of P7.
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