Rodin’s Callum Voisin takes maiden FIA F3 pole in Spa qualifying

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Callum Voisin claimed his maiden FIA Formula 3 Championship pole in Spa-Francorchamps qualifying.

The Rodin Motorsport driver jumped to the top of the times with his final flying lap. Most of the field were able to complete one more lap, but Voisin found himself at the back of the group and could not reach the line in time. However, nobody was able to improve on those final laps and Voisin remained on top.

Hitech GP’s practice pacesetter Luke Browning was quickest early on. Later there was a period where six different drivers briefly took the top spot, including Prema’s points leader Gabriele Mini.

It was ART Grand Prix’s Laurens van Hoepen, fresh from his first pole last time out at the Hungaroring, who was top of the order during the mid-session lull. He had set a 2m05.507s, and led team-mate Christian Mansell and AIX Racing’s Nikita Bedrin, but his benchmark did not last long once the second runs got underway.

Van Amersfoort Racing’s Noel Leon was first to go sub-2m05s in the session’s second half. He also did not stay on top for long, as Campos Racing’s Sebastian Montoya, Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli and MP Motorsport’s Alex Dunne all beat him in quick succession.

Voisin, one of the last returning to track, improved late to go fastest by 0.123 seconds over Dunne.

Dunne was leading the field as they came to start their final laps. Most drivers had bunched up, with some running three-wide to try to get a slipstream. That led to them crawling to the start-finish line before time ran out. Others dived into the pits, while three were still on track and took the chequered flag.

Voisin and Fornaroli, first and third on the timings, could not get a final lap in. Mini and Beganovic, in 11th and 12th, also missed out on a final attempt.

There were some improvements in the first sector from those who stayed out, but their laptimes were no better than before.

Leon ended up being matched by Jenzer Motorsport’s Max Esterson in fifth place, but took the position having set his 2m04.545s lap first.

Browning ended up seventh, but only a quarter of a second off pole.

Sami Meguetounif (Trident), Tim Tramnitz (MP) and Sergio Ramos (Trident) completed the top 10, ART GP’s Tuukka Taponen qualified 13th on his debut and Prema’s Arvid Linblad had laptimes removed for exceeding track limits so will line up 27th for this weekend’s races.

Qualifying results