A pair of pole positions for Tom Blomqvist in the Eifel

In second qualifying of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship at the 3.629 kilometres long Nürburgring sprint circuit, delayed by one day, Tom Blomqvist (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin) came out on top. The Brit will start the 26th season race from pole position. Max Verstappen (Van Amersfoort Racing) the latest member of the Red Bull Junior Team, was classified second from Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin). Esteban Ocon (Prema Powerteam), the FIA Formula 3 European Championship points’ leader, ended up fourth. In the ranking of the second-fastest race laps, used to determine the starting grid positions for the 27th season round, Blomqvist also claimed the top position. Verstappen, Antonio Fuoco (Prema Powerteam) and Ocon followed in second to fourth place.

Starting grid race 2

After the first five minutes in qualifying, Frenchman Esteban Ocon (1:21.923 minutes) still was on top of the ranking, but the Lotus Formula 1 junior driver wasn’t able to hold on to his position for a long time. Soon after that, Tom Blomqvist (1:21.650 minutes) toppled the 17-year-old and took first place. Six minutes before the end of the session, qualifying was interrupted after Roy Nissany (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport, 1:22.542 minutes) had slid into the gravel trap. At that time, Tom Blomqvist was still in the lead (1:21.790 minutes) and Antonio Giovinazzi (1:21.864 minutes). After the restart, there were no position changes among the front runners, Blomqvist remained on top until the end of the session. Behind Verstappen, Giovinazzi and Ocon, Antonio Fuoco (1:21.939 minutes), Felix Rosenqvist (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport, 1:22.051 minutes), Lucas Auer (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport, 1:22.092 minutes) and Jordan King (Carlin, 1:22.153 minutes) followed in fifth to eighth place.

Starting grid race 3

In the ranking of the second-fastest laps, Tom Blomqvist (1:21.771 minutes) proved unbeatable as well and ended up first from Max Verstappen (1:21.795 minutes). Antonio Fuoco (1:22.001 minutes) claimed third place from Esteban Ocon (1:22.112 minutes) and Antonio Giovinazzi (1:22.129 minutes), Felix Rosenqvist (1:22.144 minutes), Lucas Auer (1:22.237 minutes) and Jordan King (1:22.319 minutes).

Tom Blomqvist (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin): “To be honest, the track wasn’t that good this morning, it was quite slippery. In the car, I didn’t have the feeling that it could be enough to claim pole position. Therefore, it is all the more beautiful that I still managed to get two pole positions. I have only one goal for today’s two races: I want to win.”

FIA F3