Frenchman Norman Nato took his second career Formula Renault 3.5 Series pole position with a great lap around the streets of Monaco. The DAMS driver will start alongside ISR’s Jazeman Jaafar after Carlos Sainz Jr was penalised two grid slots for blocking another driver during the session.
In a qualifying session divided into two sections to try and avoid traffic jams, it was Group B that ultimately ended up the faster of the two, meaning they would take the odd numbered grid slots for tomorrows race. And after topping the practice session earlier in the weekend, it would be Nato that would take the pole position. He also took pole in Aragon in 2013, but will be hoping to improve on his best finish of fifth place he’s had so far in the series.
Sainz Jr would have joined his team-mate on the front row having topped the slower Group A section, but the Spaniard was penalised two places for blocking the Arden Motorsport entry of Pierre Gasly which relegated Sainz to fourth. Jaafar therefore inherited the front row grid slot, while Marco Sorensen moves up to third, the Danish driver having his best weekend of the season so far for Tech 1 Racing.
Briton Olivier Rowland was third quickest for Fortec Motorsport in Group B and therefore will start from fifth, ahead of Russian team-mate Sergey Sirotkin in sixth. Zoel Amberg’s impressive 2014 continued by finishing fourth fastest for AV Formula in Group B and therefore starts seventh, ahead of Gasly in eighth. Monza race 1 winner Will Stevens will start ninth for Strakka Racing, with Roberto Merhi in the leading Zeta Corse in tenth.
Monaco Qualifying Result
POS | DRIVER | NAT | TEAM | TIME | GROUP |
1 | Norman Nato | FRA | DAMS | 1:23.209 | B |
2 | Jazeman Jaafar | MAL | ISR | 1:23.301 | B |
3 | Marco Sorensen | DEN | Tech 1 Racing | 1:24.262 | A |
4* | Carlos Sainz Jr | ESP | DAMS | 1:23.873 | A |
5 | Oliver Rowland | GBR | Fortec Motorsport | 1:23.666 | B |
6 | Sergey Sirotkin | RUS | Fortec Motorsport | 1:24.675 | A |
7 | Zoel Amberg | SWI | AV Formula | 1:23.702 | B |
8 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | Arden Motorsport | 1:24.828 | A |
9 | Will Stevens | GBR | Strakka Racing | 1:23.924 | B |
10 | Roberto Merhi | ESP | Zeta Corse | 1:24.925 | A |
11 | Pietro Fantin | BRZ | International Draco Racing | 1:23.944 | B |
12 | Meindert van Buuren | NED | Pons Racing | 1:25.107 | A |
13 | Marlon Stockinger | PHI | Lotus | 1:24.328 | B |
14 | Roman Mavlanov | RUS | Zeta Corse | 1:25.714 | A |
15 | William Buller | GBR | Arden Motorsport | 1:24.365 | B |
16 | Matias Lainé | FIN | Strakka Racing | 1:25.834 | A |
17 | Oliver Webb | GBR | Pons Racing | 1:24.776 | B |
18 | Matthieu Vaxiviere | FRA | Lotus | 1:26.072 | A |
19 | Beitske Visser | NED | AV Formula | 1:25.469 | B |
20 | Luca Ghiotto | ITA | International Draco Racing | 1:26.153 | A |
21 | Andrea Roda | ITA | Comtec Racing | 1:29.698 | A |