In a damp qualifying session, Harrison Scott took pole by 0.4 seconds as he set the benchmark for the majority. The Douglas Motorsport driver was also the only man under 2 minutes, six seconds for today’s BRDC Formula 4 Autumn Trophy.
All six drivers cautiously made it out at the start of a wet 20 minute session around Snetterton. For Ben Barnicoat, it would be his first time out of in the car, meaning he had to get use to the car quickly.
It was Sennan Fielding who was the man to beat after the first few competitive laps, being the first driver to drop below 2 minutes 10 seconds. He would improve, but it wasn’t enough to stay on top as Scott took the lead.
As the lap times became more consistent, Scott looked to extend his lead as he made the most of the mostly clear track, with only Fielding in front. He continued his form and became the first driver to drop below 2 minutes 8 seconds.
With no rain, the track was drying and it looked like the session would be taken down to the wire. Despite being an outside shot, Scott’s pre-weekend prediction of Ameya Vaidyanathan being quick proved to be right, with the Indian in line for second place.
Having taken a few laps to get up to speed, Barnicoat set the fastest time before Scott sent the benchmark once again, with a time 0.4 seconds quicker. All of this disadvantaged Struan Moore who, despite his pace yesterday, was only able to secure fifth for much of the session.
The battle for pole wasn’t over though. With 4 minutes to go, Fielding set the benchmark by four hundredths of a second, before Scott reclaimed the lead a lap later.
Al Faisal Al Zubair had had a terrible first lap and the rest of the session had seen no turn in fortune. While he kept pace with the field at first, he eventually dropped back, pitting one minute before the end to save tyres.
Unfortunately for Vaidyanathan, he made a mistake on his final lap, dropping him down the order. While a spectacular final sector from Moore saw him claim second at the dead. However; it wasn’t enough to deny Scott of pole position.
Behind Scott was Moore, Fielding, Barnicoat, Vaidyanathan and Sisa Ngebulana, who like Al Zubair behind him, was unable to challenge the drivers at the front.
