Formula Renault 3.5
As soon as the cars came out for their exploratory laps the three drivers battling for the title, Jules Bianchi, Robin Frijns and Sam Bird, set the pace. The situation evolved lap after lap as Kevin Magnussen, Alexander Rossi and Kevin Korjus got involved in the scrap. When the drivers pitted to put on fresh tyres Frijns was in front in 1m 29.105 from Rossi and Magnussen.
When they all rejoined on new rubber the battle for grid positions for the second race began in earnest. Arthur Pic, Bird and Korjus were the first to go for it, and Pic improved Frijns’s qualifying time of the previous day with a lap in 1m 28.472s. The Frenchman was soon knocked off pole by Magnussen who got round in 1m 28.239s while Frijns moved up to second place.
The championship leader employed the same tactics as the previous day and set pole on his last lap beating the Dane by only 7/1000s! It was the Dutchman’s fourth pole of the season at the end of qualifying in which 16 drivers were covered by the same second. Jules Bianch could do no better than seventh and Bird ninth so today Frijns has a golden opportunity to open up the gap in the overall classification.
Robin Frijns: “We changed two or three things and today my car’s unbelievable. It suits me down to the ground! I managed to string together a series of quick laps. 7/1000s isn’t a lot and I don’t think I’ve ever clinched pole by such a tiny margin. I have to drive a good race as with Jules seventh and Sam ninth, I can’t waste this opportunity!”
Kevin Magnussen: “I’m annoyed, very annoyed in fact! I really wanted that pole and I thought I had it, but Robin pulled off the same stunt as yesterday by improving at the wire. I’ll have to surprise him at the start to take my revenge after yesterday’s race!”
Official Renault Sport Press Release.