“GP3 Qualifying: Evans shines in Spa”

© GP3 Media Services.

Mitch Evans claimed GP3 pole position at Spa-Francorchamps this morning, just ahead of MW Arden teammate Matias Laine.

Daniel Abt headed the Lotus charge, taking 3rd spot despite being blocked on his final quick run.

Evans spent much of the session at or near the top of the timing screens, with Abt and Lewis Williamson in close company.

The Kiwi lost a quick run several minutes from the end when he was blocked by Carmen Jorda; however the points leader recovered to put the top spot beyond reach four minutes from the end.

Laine missed out on a shot at pole when he made a slight error on one of his quick laps – the MW Arden racer may well have gone faster later in his run were it not for his aging Pirelli’s.

Abt led the session for the moist part, losing out as track conditions improved during the thirty minutes. Being blocked on his last lap only compounded frustrations for the German.

Antonio Felix da Costa continued his impressive run. The Portuguese pilot fills out the second row, just ahead of Conor Daly (5th) and Lewis Williamson (6th). Indeed the GP3 returnee pipped a close group to the top six, with Williamson, Aaro Vainio (7th), Venturini (8th), Alex Fontana (9th) and Tio Ellinas (10th) all covered by less than two-tenths.

Former Indy Lights racer Carmen Jorda just made the field. After a spectacular spin early in the session, the Spaniard ended the session over eight seconds adrift of pole.

2012 GP3 Round of Spa-Francorchamps (Rd 8, Qualifying)
Pos  Driver                  Team       Time       Gap
 1.  Mitch Evans             MW Arden   2m10.513s
 2.  Matias Laine            MW Arden   2m10.738s  + 0.225s
 3.  Daniel Abt              Lotus      2m10.754s  + 0.241s
 4.  Antonio Felix da Costa  Carlin     2m10.980s  + 0.467s
 5.  Conor Daly              Lotus      2m11.064s  + 0.551s
 6.  Lewis Williamson        Status     2m11.320s  + 0.807s
 7.  Aaro Vainio             Lotus      2m11.366s  + 0.853s
 8.  Giovanni Venturini      Trident    2m11.382s  + 0.869s
 9.  Alex Fontana            Jenzer     2m11.397s  + 0.884s
10.  Tio Ellinas             Manor      2m11.501s  + 0.988s
11.  Marlon Stockinger       Status     2m11.541s  + 1.028s
12.  Patric Niederhauser     Jenzer     2m11.637s  + 1.124s
13.  Vicky Piria             Trident    2m11.723s  + 1.210s
14.  Will Buller             Carlin     2m11.742s  + 1.229s
15.  Kevin Ceccon            Ocean      2m11.746s  + 1.233s
16.  David Fumanelli         MW Arden   2m11.804s  + 1.291s
17.  Alex Brundle            Carlin     2m12.224s  + 1.711s
18.  Robert Visoiu           Jenzer     2m12.410s  + 1.897s
19.  Tamas Pal Kiss          Atech CRS  2m12.508s  + 1.995s
20.  Alice Powell            Status     2m12.530s  + 2.017s
21.  Ethan Ringel            Atech CRS  2m12.713s  + 2.200s
22.  Robert Cregan           Ocean      2m12.765s  + 2.252s
23.  Dmitry Suranovich       Manor      2m12.886s  + 2.373s
24.  Fabiano Machado         Manor      2m12.917s  + 2.404s
25.  John Wartique           Atech CRS  2m13.478s  + 2.965s
26.  Carmen Jorda            Ocean      2m18.719s  + 8.206s

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