Home News Nico Muller claims FR3.5 pole in Monaco

Nico Muller claims FR3.5 pole in Monaco

by Peter Allen

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