Home Formula 3GB3 Jupp sees off di Mauro to claim Saturday pole at Brands

Jupp sees off di Mauro to claim Saturday pole at Brands

by Valentin Khorounzhiy
Photo: BRDC F4

Photo: BRDC F4

Mectech Motorsport’s Connor Jupp claimed his maiden pole in junior single-seaters in a close first qualifying for the BRDC F4 Winter Series finale at Brands Hatch.

The 17-year-old Brit edged out Gaetano di Mauro by just 0.01s under light rain, narrowly denying the Brazilian a third consecutive pole.

With improvements becoming few and far between in the last minutes as the rain intensified, Jupp wouldn’t need any further improvements to see the checkered flag in first place.

Having led most of the session early on, di Mauro would have to do with a front row start.

Another tenth down, Sean Walkinshaw Racing’s practice pacesetter Jordan Albert claimed third, narrowly beating Douglas Motorsport’s Rodrigo Fonseca.

Championship leader Will Palmer fought for the top spots in the first half of the qualifying, but ended up down in fifth. His HHC squadmate Zubair Hoque will start a row behind in seventh, with Fernando Urrutia splitting the two in sixth.

Enzo Bortoleto and series newcomer Paul Sieljes completed the order.

Session results
Pos. Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Connor Jupp Mectech Motorsport 55.364 21
2 Gaetano di Mauro PetroBall 55.374 0.010 21
3 Jordan Albert Sean Walkinshaw Racing 55.485 0.121 21
4 Rodrigo Fonseca Douglas Motorsport 55.515 0.151 20
5 Will Palmer HHC Motorsport 55.631 0.267 21
6 Fernando Urrutia Sean Walkinshaw Racing 56.018 0.654 20
7 Zubair Hoque HHC Motorsport 56.151 0.787 20
8 Enzo Bortoleto PetroBall 56.630 1.266 20
9 Paul Sieljes Chris Dittmann Racing 57.476 2.112 20