Max Chilton and Walter Grubmuller grab F3 poles
In qualifying 1, young Brit Chilton pipped his Australian team-mate Daniel Ricciardo to the pole by nearly three-tenths of a second in the closing moments of the session to establish a Dallara-Volkswagen 1-2. "I was surprised," said Max, who turns 18 later this month. "I knew it was a good lap, but I didn't realize until I saw the time that it had been that quick and that it was good enough for pole. I'm very pleased of course; it's a great start to my season."
Ricciardo ended the session just ahead of another Oulton Park and British F3 debutant, Daisuke Nakajima, the Japanese driver impressing with his unheralded pace in the Raikkonen Robertson Dallara and taking third on the grid and the honor of top Mercedes-powered runner. Nick Tandy's Mygale-Mercedes was fourth fastest. Less than a second covered the top nine.
The leading National Class runner was Fortec's Daniel McKenzie. Victor Correa's Litespeed SLC was third fastest in the National Class despite a session-ending off at the chicane.
Austrian veteran Walter Grubmuller earned his maiden F3 pole position this afternoon at Oulton, the Hitech Racing pilot setting the fastest time in the day's second qualifying session.
Grubmuller, 20, will start Monday afternoon's championship Round 2 from top spot, with Ricciardo alongside him. F3 newcomer Riki Christodoulou will line up third on the grid in his Fortec-prepared Dallara-Mercedes, with Tandy top Brit in his Mygale in fourth. Round 1 pole-sitter Chilton could not repeat his form and will start fifth.
T-Sport's Gabriel Dias emerged the quickest of the National Class runners on this occasion.
Round 1 qualifying times, Oulton Park
Dry, sunny
1 Max CHILTON/GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 27.830s
2 Daniel RICCIARDO/AUS, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 28.105s
3 Daisuke NAKAJIMA/JPN, RR Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 28.236s
4 Nick TANDY/GBR, JTR Mygale-Mercedes, 1m 28.240s
5 Walter GRUBMÃœLLER/AUT, Hitech Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 28.263s
6 Riki CHRISTODOULOU/GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 28.309s
7 Henry ARUNDEL/GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 28.422s
8 Carlos HUERTAS/COL, RR Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 28.423s
9 Oliver OAKES/GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 28.654s
10 Adriano BUZAID/BRA, T-Sport Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 28.894s
11 Wayne BOYD/GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 29.134s
12 Victor GARCIA/ESP, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 29.315s
13 Hywel LLOYD/GBR, CF Racing Dallara-Mugen Honda, 1m 29.473s
14 NAT Daniel McKENZIE/GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mugen Honda, 29.554s
15 Jay BRIDGER/GBR, West-Tec Mygale-Mugen Honda, 1m 29.583s
16 NAT Gabriel DIAS/BRA, T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda, 1m 29.884s
17 Stéphane RICHELMI/MON, Barazi-Epsilon Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 30.793s
18 NAT Victor CORREA/BRA, Litespeed-Mugen Honda, 1m 31.027s
19 NAT Max SNEGIREV/RUS, West-Tec Dallara-Mugen Honda, 1m 31.529s
Round 2 qualifying times, Oulton Park
Dry, sunny
1 Walter GRUBMÃœLLER/AUT, Hitech Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 27.921s
2 Daniel RICCIARDO/AUS, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 28.103s
3 Riki CHRISTODOULOU/GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 28.354s
4 Nick TANDY/GBR, JTR Mygale-Mercedes, 1m 28.354s
5 Max CHILTON/GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 28.416s
6 Carlos HUERTAS/COL, RR Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 28.567s
7 Daisuke NAKAJIMA/JPN, RR Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 28.608s
8 Henry ARUNDEL/GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 28.733s
9 Hywel LLOYD/GBR, CF Racing Dallara-Mugen Honda, 1m 28.939s
10 Oliver OAKES/GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 28.950s
11 Adriano BUZAID/BRA, T-Sport Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 29.248s
12 Victor GARCIA/ESP, Fortec Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 29.465s
13 Jay BRIDGER/GBR, West-Tec Mygale-Mugen Honda, 1m 29.554s
14 Wayne BOYD/GBR, T-Sport Dallara-Volkswagen, 1m 29.604s
15 NAT Gabriel DIAS/BRA, T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda, 1m 29.867s
16 NAT Daniel McKENZIE/GBR, Fortec Dallara-Mugen Honda, 1m 29.964s
17 Stéphane RICHELMI/MON, Barazi-Epsilon Dallara-Mercedes, 1m 31.193s
18 NAT Max SNEGIREV/RUS, West-Tec Dallara-Mugen Honda, 1m 31.772s
19 NAT Victor CORREA/BRA, Litespeed-Mugen Honda, no time