Photo: FIA F3 European Championship
17-year-old Esteban Ocon was fastest in the first qualifying session of FIA European F3 Championship at Spa-Francorchamps.
The qualifying started with Max Verstappen taking the early lead and most of the usual frontrunners leaving their flying laps to the second half.
However, at halfway point, Ocon managed to set a narrowly, by only 0.06s, faster lap than Verstappen’s and his lead was never challenged after that.
Ferrari junior Antonio Fuoco and Lucas Auer secured a third and fourth position respectively, not far off?the leading duo’s pace.
American Gustavo Menezes recorded his best qualifying result in fifth, narrowly beating Tom Blomqvist and Felix Rosenqvist.
Eurocup Formula Renault graduate Jake Dennis went eighth fastest and the top ten was completed by Team West-Tec’s Felix Serralles and Threebond’s Alex Toril.
Results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Esteban Ocon | Prema Powerteam | 2:10.049 | |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Van Amersfoort Racing | 2:10.110 | 0.061 |
| 3 | Antonio Fuoco | Prema Powerteam | 2:10.225 | 0.176 |
| 4 | Lucas Auer | Mucke Motorsport | 2:10.340 | 0.291 |
| 5 | Gustavo Menezes | Van Amersfoort Racing | 2:10.572 | 0.523 |
| 6 | Tom Blomqvist | Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 1:10.601 | 0.552 |
| 7 | Felix Rosenqvist | Mucke Motorsport | 2:10.625 | 0.576 |
| 8 | Jake Dennis | Carlin | 2:10.659 | 0.610 |
| 9 | Felix Serralles | Team West-Tec | 2:10.834 | 0.785 |
| 10 | Alex Toril | ThreeBond with T-Sport | 2:10.933 | 0.884 |
| 11 | Nicholas Latifi | Prema Powerteam | 2:10.976 | 0.927 |
| 12 | Jules Szymkowiak | Van Amersfoort Racing | 2:10.983 | 0.934 |
| 13 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 2:11.123 | 1.074 |
| 14 | Mitch Gilbert | Fortec Motorsports | 2:11.411 | 1.362 |
| 15 | Felipe Guimaraes | Double R Racing | 2:11.553 | 1.504 |
| 16 | Santino Ferrucci | EuroInternational | 2:11.576 | 1.527 |
| 17 | Spike Goddard | ThreeBond with T-Sport | 2:11.623 | 1.574 |
| 18 | Roy Nissany | Mucke Motorsport | 2:11.770 | 1.721 |
| 19 | Tatiana Calderon | Jo Zeller Racing | 2:11.811 | 1.762 |
| 20 | Sean Gelael | Jagonya Ayam with Carlin | 2:11.813 | 1.764 |
| 21 | John Bryant-Meisner | Fortec Motorsports | 2:11.854 | 1.805 |
| 22 | Hector Hurst | Team West-Tec | 2:12.218 | 2.169 |
| 23 | Michele Beretta | EuroInternational | 2:12.406 | 2.357 |
| 24 | Sandro Zeller | Jo Zeller Racing | 2:12.630 | 2.581 |
| 25 | Jordan King | Carlin | 2:12.753 | 2.704 |
| 26 | Dennis van de Laar | Prema Powerteam | No Time | – |