Photo: World Series by Renault
Nico Muller has claimed his maiden Formula Renault 3.5 pole position in qualifying for the Monaco race.
The Swiss driver edged out Marco Sorensen by 0.01 seconds in the second group to post the fastest time of the whole session.
Monaco debutant Jazeman Jaafar was the surprise pacesetter in the first group and will line up alongside Muller on the front row. Championship leader Kevin Magnussen was more than half a second slower than the Malaysian in second in the first group, securing fourth on the grid.
Stoffel Vandoorne was third best in group two but will not start fifth thanks to the grid penalty he picked up for his crash in practice under yellow flags.
That will promote Carlos Sainz, who shone on his series debut with Zeta Corse to set the third fastest time in the first group. Set to start alongside him on the third row will be fellow Red Bull Junior Antonio Felix da Costa. Fourth in the first group was Norman Nato, with Mikhail Aleshin fifth in group two. The top ten on the grid will be completed by British duo Will Stevens and Vandoorne.
Group A
Pos | Driver? | Team? | Time | Gap |
1 | Jazeman Jaafar | Carlin | 1:23.648 | |
2 | Kevin Magnussen | DAMS | 1:24.219 | +0.571 |
3 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Zeta Corse | 1:24.417 | +0.769 |
4 | Norman Nato | DAMS | 1:24.457 | +0.809 |
5 | Will Stevens | P1 by Strakka Racing | 1:24.579 | +0.931 |
6 | Arthur Pic | AV Formula | 1:24.602 | +0.954 |
7 | Andre Negrao | International Draco Racing | 1:24.783 | +1.135 |
8 | Marlon Stockinger | Lotus | 1:4.857 | +1.209 |
9 | Christopher Zanella | ISR | 1:25.163 | +1.515 |
10 | Nikolay Martsenko | Pons Racing | 1:25.293 | +1.645 |
11 | Lucas Foresti | SMP Racing by Comtec | 1:25.529 | +1.881 |
12 | Matias Laine | P1 by Strakka Racing | 1:26.206 | +2.558 |
13 | Nigel Melker | Tech 1 Racing | 1:30.285 | +6.637 |
Group B
Pos | Driver? | Team | Time | Gap |
1 | Nico Muller | International Draco Racing | 1:23.453 | |
2 | Marco Sorensen | Lotus | 1:23.463 | +0.010 |
3 | Stoffel Vandoorne | Fortec Motorsports | 1:23.607 | +0.154 |
4 | Antonio Felix da Costa | Arden Caterham | 1:23.627 | +0.174 |
5 | Mikhail Aleshin | Tech 1 Racing | 1:23.843 | +0.390 |
6 | Oliver Webb | Fortec Motorsports | 1:23.974 | +0.521 |
7 | Nick Yelloly | Zeta Corse | 1:24.076 | +0.623 |
8 | Daniil Move | SMP Racing by Comtec | 1:24.200 | +0.747 |
9 | Carlos Huertas | Carlin | 1:24.354 | +0.901 |
10 | Sergey Sirotkin | ISR | 1:24.569 | +1.116 |
11 | Yann Cunha | AV Formula | 1:25.891 | +2.438 |
12 | Pietro Fantin | Arden Caterham | 1:25.901 | +2.448 |
13 | Zoel Amberg | Pons Racing | 1:29.076 | +5.623 |