Qualifying for today’s British Formula 3 race at Spa-Francorchamps was dominated by F3 International Trophy competitors.
Invitational runners – all full time pilots in the F3 Euroseries – notched up the first four places on the grid, with Spain’s Roberto Mehri leading the charge.
The Prema Powerteam driver registered a best lap of 2:17.438 late in the running – a full one second quicker than former British F3 Champion, Marko Asmer.
Signature Motorsport drivers Marco Wittmann and Carlos Munoz filled out the second row, ahead of leading British F3 competitors, William Buller and Lucas Foresti, albeit over 2 seconds shy of pole.
Changeable conditions aided Mehri’s advantage to a degree. Having started in damp conditions, the circuit dried in the final minutes of qualifying, with the Spaniard taking the point as the chequered flag emerged.
It was a dreadful session for British F3 Championship leader Felipe Nasr. The Brazilian placed his Volkswagen-powered Carlin 20th for race three, having notched up an eighth row start for the opening race of the weekend.
Several drivers were caught out by the wet conditions, including Harry Tincknell, who had an off on his second lap and will start last for both races.
A red flag late in qualifying for a spun Menasheh Idafar, also had the effect of shortening the session.
British F3 Round of Spa-Francorchamps (Race one grid): Pos Driver Team Car 1. Roberto Merhi Prema Dallara-Merc 2. Lucas Foresti Fortec Dallara-Merc 3. William Buller Fortec Dallara-Merc 4. Marco Wittmann Signature Dallara-VW 5. Carlos Munoz Signature Dallara-VW 6. Hywel Lloyd Sino Vision Dallara-Merc 7. Jack Harvey Carlin Dallara-VW 8. Bart Hylkema T-Sport Dallara-VW 9. Jazeman Jaafar Carlin Dallara-VW 10. Felipe Nasr Carlin Dallara-VW 11. Rupert Svendsen-Cook Carlin Dallara-VW 12. Yann Cunha T-Sport Dallara-VW 13. Scott Pye Double R Dallara-Merc 14. Daniel Juncadella Prema Dallara-Merc 15. Hannes van Asseldonk Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW 16. Adderly Fong Sino Vision Dallara-Merc 17. Kevin Magnussen Carlin Dallara-VW 18. Marko Asmer Double R Dallara-Merc 19. Fahmi Ilyas Fortec Dallara-Merc 20. Laurens Vanthoor Signature Dallara-VW 21. Daniel Abt Signature Dallara-VW 22. Pipo Derani Double R Dallara-Merc 23. Raffaelle Marciello Prema Dallara-Merc 24. Kotaro Sakurai Hitech Dallara-Mugen 25. Carlos Huertas Carlin Dallara-VW 26. Pietro Fantin Hitech Dallara-VW 27. Menasheh Idafar T-Sport Dallara-VW 28. Harry Tincknell Fortec Dallara-Merc *Times for race one grid not available at time of publishing. British F3 Round of Spa-Francorchamps (Race three grid): Pos Driver Team Car Time Gap 1. Roberto Merhi Prema Dallara-Merc 2m17.438s 2. Marko Asmer Double R Dallara-Merc 2m18.502s + 1.064s 3. Marco Wittmann Signature Dallara-VW 2m18.800s + 1.362s 4. Carlos Munoz Signature Dallara-VW 2m19.289s + 1.851s 5. William Buller Fortec Dallara-Merc 2m19.692s + 2.254s 6. Lucas Foresti Fortec Dallara-Merc 2m19.993s + 2.555s 7. Raffaelle Marciello Prema Dallara-Merc 2m20.249s + 2.811s 8. Pipo Derani Double R Dallara-Merc 2m21.253s + 3.815s 9. Laurens Vanthoor Signature Dallara-VW 2m21.398s + 3.960s 10. Hywel Lloyd Sino Vision Dallara-Merc 2m22.582s + 5.144s 11. Carlos Huertas Carlin Dallara-VW 2m22.741s + 5.303s 12. Jack Harvey Carlin Dallara-VW 2m25.510s + 8.072s 13. Adderly Fong Sino Vision Dallara-Merc 2m26.398s + 8.960s 14. Bart Hylkema T-Sport Dallara-VW 2m26.889s + 9.451s 15. Jazeman Jaafar Carlin Dallara-VW 2m27.133s + 9.695s 16. Kevin Magnussen Carlin Dallara-VW 2m27.315s + 9.877s 17. Yann Cunha T-Sport Dallara-VW 2m27.347s + 9.909s 18. Hannes van Asseldonk Van Amersfoort Dallara-VW 2m27.517s + 10.079s 19. Scott Pye Double R Dallara-Merc 2m27.767s + 10.329s 20. Felipe Nasr Carlin Dallara-VW 2m28.254s + 10.816s 21. Rupert Svendsen-Cook Carlin Dallara-VW 2m28.942s + 11.504s 22. Daniel Juncadella Prema Dallara-Merc 2m29.496s + 12.058s 23. Fahmi Ilyas Fortec Dallara-Merc 2m29.578s + 12.140s 24. Kotaro Sakurai Hitech Dallara-Mugen 2m30.009s + 12.571s 25. Daniel Abt Signature Dallara-VW 2m30.229s + 12.791s 26. Pietro Fantin Hitech Dallara-VW 2m33.004s + 15.566s 27. Menasheh Idafar T-Sport Dallara-VW 2m36.104s + 18.666s 28. Harry Tincknell Fortec Dallara-Merc 2m38.252s + 20.814s
