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Richie Stanaway claims GP3 pole at the Hungaroring

by Peter Allen
Richie Stanaway

Photo: Sam Bloxham/GP3 Series Media Service

Richie Stanaway beat a late red flag to claim pole position in GP3 at the Hungaroring.

Dino Zamparelli had dominated much of the session, going nearly half a second clear with his effort during the first half of the session. He made a slight improved on his second run to extend his advantage, but it wouldn’t be enough to hold on to top spot.

Robert Visoiu was the first man to displace the ART racer, and he was quickly bettered by championship leader Alex Lynn, who had struggled to get a lap together up to that point but rose from 25th to first. His time on provisional pole did not last long though, as Stanaway went 0.035 seconds quicker.

That came just before a red flag with three minutes left on the clock after Roman de Beer and Alfonso Celis had simultaneous offs at turns four and five. Alex Fontana was on a flyer that could have challenged for pole position but the red flags came out just as he navigated the final corner.

Drivers were able to get one more flying lap in after the restart, but nobody could beat either first-time pole-sitter Stanaway or Lynn, who has qualified on the front row five times out of five so far in GP3.

Nick Yelloly was a late improver, climbing from seventh to third ahead of Visoiu and Zamparelli. Emil Bernstorff got up to sixth at the finish ahead of Patric Niederhauser, while Fontana was able to move up to eighth. Patrick Kujala was ninth, while Hockenheim winner Marvin Kirchhofer was tenth fastest.

The German ace will drop five places on the grid due to a penalty carried over from the last race, as will 11th-fastest man Luis Sa Silva for overtaking under red flags in practice. That will promote Jimmy Eriksson, currently second in the standings, into tenth on the grid.

Qualifying results
Pos Driver? Team Time? Gap Laps?
1 Richie Stanaway Status Grand Prix 1:33.553 15
2 Alex Lynn Carlin 1:33.588 0.035 13
3 Nick Yelloly Status Grand Prix 1:33.679 0.126 13
4 Robert Visoiu Arden International 1:33.729 0.176 13
5 Dino Zamparelli ART Grand Prix 1:33.771 0.218 13
6 Emil Bernstorff Carlin 1:33.807 0.254 14
7 Patric Niederhauser Arden International 1:33.873 0.320 13
8 Alex Fontana ART Grand Prix 1:33.894 0.341 13
9 Patrick Kujala Marussia Manor Racing 1:33.975 0.422 13
10 Marvin Kirchhofer ART Grand Prix 1:34.076 0.523 13
11 Luis Sa Silva Carlin 1:34.084 0.531 13
12 Jimmy Eriksson Koiranen GP 1:34.124 0.571 14
13 Jann Mardenborough Arden International 1:34.231 0.678 13
14 Mitch Gilbert Trident 1:34.253 0.700 12
15 Santiago Urrutia Koiranen GP 1:34.265 0.712 14
16 Dean Stoneman Marussia Manor Racing 1:34.308 0.755 12
17 Roman de Beer Trident 1:34.327 0.774 13
18 Riccardo Agostini Hilmer Motorsport 1:34.346 0.793 13
19 Matheo Tuscher Jenzer Motorsport 1:34.420 0.867 13
20 Nelson Mason Hilmer Motorsport 1:34.450 0.897 13
21 Pal Varhaug Jenzer Motorsport 1:34.545 0.992 13
22 Sebastian Balthasar Hilmer Motorsport 1:34.569 1.016 13
23 Alfonso Celis Status Grand Prix 1:34.821 1.268 10
24 Christopher Hoher Jenzer Motorsport 1:35.776 2.223 12
25 Ryan Cullen Marussia Manor Racing 1:35.915 2.362 13
26 Carmen Jorda Koiranen GP 1:38.632 5.079 14