“Serralles takes double Formula 3 pole at Spa”

© SRO.

Fortec Motorsport’s Felix Serralles secured a dominant double-pole for this weekend’s Formula 3 feature events.

The Puerto Rican lapped the famed circuit at a best of 2:15.157 to lodge pole for Saturday afternoon’s race, before setting his next best (and pole for race one) on the following tour.

Speaking of his achievement, Serralles was his usual pragmatic self:
“It’s been a long time since Monza, now finally a double pole. I love this track, it’s all about having big balls and carrying a lot of speed and that’s what I like to do with the F3 car. I’m pleased I was able to put it all together.”

Serralles with have to face down a determined Carlos Sainz Jr* in both races. Occasional misfires hampered the under pressure Spaniard, as he struggled around Spa’s long straights and fast sweeps – an excellent effort despite his mechanical deficit.

Daniel Juncadella – the recently crowned master of Zandvoort – assumed 3rd spot, some three-tenths shy of Serralles. The Prema Powerteam racer struggled on occasion with poor handling, but garnered some extra speed by cleverly utilising the draft.
Alongside Juncadella is Alex Lynn – the Fortec runner continues to impress during his début season in Formula 3 machinery.

It was less than plain sailing in the pack. British F3 rivals Jack Harvey (Carlin) and Hannes van Asseldonk (Fortec) suffered collision at Les Combes, ending their sessions prematurely. The incident was especially tough on Harvey, who missed much of practice with a misfire.
Meanwhile Euro Series favourite Raffaele Marciello struggled to find a workable balance in his Mercedes-powered Dallara, leaving the victor of Pau mired deep in the field.

National Class returnee Adderly Fong** made his presence known, sharing pole with class rival Spike Goddard. The Britain-based, Canadian born Chinese driver lost running time thanks to a crash in morning practice, but recovered to set a 2:17.826 in qualifying.

Serralles will lead Sainz Jr away for race one; however Lynn has the better of Juncadella, while van Asseldonk rounds out the top five.

* {note 1}
Sainz Jr was quickest in free practice ahead of teammate Harvey. Lynn and Serralles were next up, with Jazeman Jaafar a credible 5th.

** {note 2}
Fong was not the only “extra” driver this weekend. Pedro Pablo Calbimonte makes his British F3 debut at Spa with T-Sport in the National Class. The Bolivian is to be contesting the remaining four rounds in the championship.
At Carlin, Richard Bradley replaces Will Buller, who is competing in this weekend’s GP3 round at the Hungaroring.

2012 British F3 Round of Spa-Francorchamps (Rd 7, Race 1 grid; 2nd best times)
Pos  Driver               Team/Car                Time     Gap 
 1.  Felix Serralles       Fortec Dallara-Merc     2m15.212s  
 2.  Carlos Sainz Jr       Carlin Dallara-VW       2m15.455s  + 0.243s 
 3.  Alex Lynn             Fortec Dallara-Merc     2m15.715s  + 0.503s 
 4.  Daniel Juncadella     Prema Dallara-Merc      2m15.821s  + 0.609s 
 5.  Hannes van Asseldonk  Fortec Dallara-Merc     2m15.862s  + 0.660s 
 6.  Jazeman Jaafar        Carlin Dallara-VW       2m15.899s  + 0.697s 
 7.  Pietro Fantin         Carlin Dallara-VW       2m15.983s  + 0.781s 
 8.  Michael Lewis         Prema Dallara-Merc      2m16.004s  + 0.792s 
 9.  Harry Tincknell       Carlin Dallara-VW       2m16.060s  + 0.848s 
10.  Jack Harvey           Carlin Dallara-VW       2m16.151s  + 0.939s 
11.  Tom Blomqvist         Ma-con Dallara-VW       2m16.219s  + 1.007s 
12.  Pipo Derani           Fortec Dallara-Merc     2m16.222s  + 1.010s 
13.  Felix Rosenqvist      Mucke Dallara-Merc      2m16.329s  + 1.127s 
14.  Nick McBride          T-Sport Dallara-Nissan  2m16.386s  + 1.174s 
15.  Raffaelle Marciello   Prema Dallara-Merc      2m16.593s  + 1.381s 
16.  Pascal Wehrlein       Mucke Dallara-Merc      2m16.744s  + 1.532s 
17.  Sven Muller           Prema Dallara-Merc      2m16.750s  + 1.538s 
18.  Fahmi Ilyas           Double R Dallara-Merc   2m17.004s  + 1.792s 
19.  Geoff Uhrhane         Double R Dallara-Merc   2m17.053s  + 1.841s  
20.  Emil Bernstorff       Ma-con Dallara-VW       2m17.104s  + 1.892s 
21.  Andrea Roda           Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc  2m17.270s  + 2.058s 
22.  Richard Bradley       Carlin Dallara-VW       2m17.274s  + 2.062s 
23.  Lucas Wolf            URD Dallara-Merc        2m17.954s  + 2.742s 
24.  Sandro Zeller         Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc  2m18.163s  + 2.951s 
25.  Luis Sa Silva         Angola Dallara-Merc     2m18.300s  + 3.088s 
26.  Spike Goddard         T-Sport Dallara-Mugen   2m18.348s  + 3.136s 
27.  Adderly Fong          CF Dallara-Mugen        2m18.675s  + 3.463s 
28.  Duvashen Padayachee   Double R Dallara-Mugen  2m19.365s  + 4.153s 
29.  Pedro Calbimonte      T-Sport Dallara-Mugen   2m19.431s  + 4.219s
2012 British F3 Round of Spa-Francorchamps (Rd 7, Race 1 grid; best times) 
Pos  Driver               Team/Car                Time     Gap 
 1.  Felix Serralles       Fortec Dallara-Merc     2m15.157s   
 2.  Carlos Sainz Jr       Carlin Dallara-VW       2m15.198s  + 0.041s 
 3.  Daniel Juncadella     Prema Dallara-Merc      2m15.460s  + 0.303s 
 4.  Alex Lynn             Fortec Dallara-Merc     2m15.527s  + 0.370s 
 5.  Jazeman Jaafar        Carlin Dallara-VW       2m15.678s  + 0.521s 
 6.  Tom Blomqvist         Ma-con Dallara-VW       2m15.697s  + 0.540s 
 7.  Jack Harvey           Carlin Dallara-VW       2m15.767s  + 0.610s 
 8.  Pipo Derani           Fortec Dallara-Merc     2m15.815s  + 0.658s 
 9.  Hannes van Asseldonk  Fortec Dallara-Merc     2m15.834s  + 0.677s 
10.  Harry Tincknell       Carlin Dallara-VW       2m15.914s  + 0.757s 
11.  Michael Lewis         Prema Dallara-Merc      2m15.953s  + 0.796s 
12.  Pietro Fantin         Carlin Dallara-VW       2m15.972s  + 0.815s 
13.  Felix Rosenqvist      Mucke Dallara-Merc      2m16.026s  + 0.864s 
14.  Nick McBride          T-Sport Dallara-Nissan  2m16.189s  + 1.032s 
15.  Raffaelle Marciello   Prema Dallara-Merc      2m16.320s  + 1.173s 
16.  Sven Muller           Prema Dallara-Merc      2m16.570s  + 1.413s 
17.  Emil Bernstorff       Ma-con Dallara-VW       2m16.612s  + 1.465s 
18.  Pascal Wehrlein       Mucke Dallara-Merc      2m16.640s  + 1.487s 
19.  Fahmi Ilyas           Double R Dallara-Merc   2m16.681s  + 1.534s 
20.  Geoff Uhrhane         Double R Dallara-Merc   2m16.777s  + 1.620s 
21.  Richard Bradley       Carlin Dallara-VW       2m16.912s  + 1.755s 
22.  Andrea Roda           Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc  2m16.966s  + 1.809s 
23.  Sandro Zeller         Jo Zeller Dallara-Merc  2m17.503s  + 2.346s 
24.  Lucas Wolf            URD Dallara-Merc        2m17.792s  + 2.635s 
25.  Adderly Fong          CF Dallara-Mugen        2m17.826s  + 2.669s 
26.  Spike Goddard         T-Sport Dallara-Mugen   2m17.926s  + 2.769s 
27.  Luis Sa Silva         Angola Dallara-Merc     2m18.155s  + 3.098s 
28.  Duvashen Padayachee   Double R Dallara-Mugen  2m18.804s  + 3.643s 
29.  Pedro Calbimonte      T-Sport Dallara-Mugen   2m19.325s  + 4.169s

Leave a Reply