Hartley Quickest in Red Flag Hit Qualifying

There was double joy for Carlin as Red Bull driver Brendon Hartley (#3 Carlin) took pole position for Round 4 after the qualifying session was finished early after two red flag incidents. The New Zealander finished four hundredths of a second ahead of Round 3 pole sitter Marcus Ericsson (#8 Fortec), with Sergio Perez (#9 T Sport) heading up the second row with Round 1 winner Oliver Turvey (#17 Carlin). Andy Meyrick did the double, the Carlin driver securing the National Class pole in 12th overall, five places ahead of Salman Al Khalifa (#57 T Sport).

Jaime Alguersuari (#4 Carlin) made the early pace once the competitors had settled into a rhythm, with Andy Meyrick (#56 Carlin) once again mixing it with the International Class runners. Michael Devaney (#13 Ultimate) came into the pits after just one lap and was wheeled into the pit garage with a suspected suspension problem.

After 10 minutes Alguersuari was still heading the time sheets, with Meyrick, Ericsson, Tandy, Arundel and Martin rounding out the top six. Sam Abay (#18 Carlin) then put in a 1m13.502 lap to take the provisional pole position, with Ericsson and Hartley moving in 2nd and 3rd respectively. However three minutes later Hartley made his bid for the top spot, posting a 1m13.237 lap, 0.043 ahead of Ericsson, with Perez improving to post the 3rd fastest time with Atte Mustonen improving to 5th ahead of Sebastian Hohenthal.

Niall Quinn (#58 Team Loctite) went off on the far side of the track in a dangerous position, bringing out the first red flag. Once the marshals had pushed Quinn's Dallara back onto the track the Irishman returned to the pits and was able to rejoin the track when the green flags were waved.

However two minutes later Sergio Perez spun and stalled his T Sport Dallara, forcing the second red flag, which turned into a chequered flag to end the session.

ROUND 4 Qualifying – provisional result

1 – 3 – INT – Brendon HARTLEY – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – 1m13.237
2 – 8 – INT – Marcus ERICSSON – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +0.043s
3 – 9 – INT – Sergio PEREZ – Dallara F308 Mugen Honda – +0.209s
4 – 17 – INT – Oliver TURVEY – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +0.258s
5 – 18 – INT – Sam ABAY – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +0.265s
6 – 26 – INT – Atte MUSTONEN – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +0.329s
7 – 7 – INT – Sebastian HOHENTHAL – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +0.352s
8 – 11 – INT – Esteban GUERRIERI – Mygale M-08F3 Mecedes HWA – +0.412s
9 – 4 – INT – Jaime ALGUERSUARI – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +0.483s
10 – 25 – INT – Alistair JACKSON – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +0.557s
11 – 24 – INT – John MARTIN – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +0.563s
12 – 56 – NAT – Andy MEYRICK – Dallara F305 Mugen Honda – +0.833s
13 – 28 – INT – Nick TANDY – Mygale M-08F3 Mercedes HWA – +1.073s
14 – 1 – INT – Max CHILTON – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +1.110s
15 – 6 – INT – Henry ARUNDEL – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +1.120s
16 – 14 – INT – Philip MAJOR – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +1.402s
17 – 57 – NAT – Salman AL KHALIFA – Dallara F307 Mugen Honda – +1.477s
18 – 51 – NAT – Stefan WILSON – Dallara F306 Mugen Honda – +1.569s
19 – 2 – INT – Walter GRUBMULLER – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +1.591s
20 – 52 – NAT – Hywel LLOYD – Dallara F306 Mugen Honda – +1.629s
21 – 12 – INT – Ricardo TEIXEIRA – Mygale M-08F3 Mercedes HWA – +1.642s
22 – 5 – INT – Viktor JENSEN – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +1.816s
23 – 50 – NAT – Jay BRIDGER – Dallara F307 Mugen Honda – +1.882s
24 – 53 – NAT – Steven GUERRERO – Dallara F307 Mugen Honda – +1.973s
25 – 54 – NAT – Kristjan EINAR – Dallara F305 Mugen Honda – +2.112s
26 – 15 – INT – Oliver OAKES – Dallara F308 Mercedes HWA – +2.128s
27 – 58 – NAT – Niall QUINN – Dallara F306 Mugen Honda – +3.119s
28 – 55 – NAT – Craig REIFF – Dallara F306 Mugen Honda – +3.572s
29 – 13 – INT – Michael DEVANEY – Mygale M-08F3 Mercedes HWA – NT