Bird followed up his 2011 podium in GP2 with FR 3.5 pole in 2012 (Photo Credit: Jean Michel le Meur/DPPI)
Sam Bird took his second consecutive pole position in Monaco and his first in Formula Renault 3.5.
The Briton, who started from the front in GP2 last season, stormed to pole position running in the first group of drivers in the split qualifying session.
Although times were expected to be slower in the first session due to track conditions, Bird claimed an excellent pole with a time of 1m 22.163 secs.
Bird fought with former GP2 rival Jules Bianchi for much for the Group A session but it was the ISR driver who came out on top, despite crashing at Sainte Devote on his final run.
He said: “I'm very pleased to be back on pole here in Monaco.
“The session was a little challenging from a communication point of view because the team had no live timing trackside, so while they could tell me on the radio that I was quickest, I had no idea by what margin.
“For all I knew, it might have been by a thousandth of a second. Had I known that the margin to p2 was a lot more, I might not have tried to push the envelope to that extent on the final lap but there you go. That's history.
“We're on pole and that's what matters. Huge credit to everyone at ISR.”
Bird will be joined on the front row tomorrow by Alexander Rossi, who was fasted in the Group B runners.
Although running on a quicker track, the American was a massive seven tenths down on Bird’s time.
Nevertheless, Rossi was pleased to be back at the front of the field after a difficult opening weekend in Aragon.
He said: “The goal was to finish in front, but above all to get to the end of the session without touching the barrier!
“For the team and me, qualifying on the front row is very important after a tricky start to the season. The start, of course, will be an important moment in the race.”
Such was the form Bird was in, Bianchi was a second down on his former GP2 rival.
The Tech 1 driver said: “Considering the limited driving I had in free practice, we did a good job. I didn't do a lot of laps on my second run, and I was far off my maximum.
“That's positive in terms of the race. DRS, tyre degradation and the other drivers' mistakes will all come into play.”
Carlin’s Kevin Magnussen will complete the second row while Championship leader Robin Frijns rounds out the top five.
Nick Yelloly, who won the opening round of the season, was fourth in the Group B runners and will start eighth.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Sam Bird ISR 1m22.163s Group 1 2. Alexander Rossi Arden 1m22.863s Group 2 3. Jules Bianchi Tech 1 1m23.163s Group 1 4. Kevin Magnussen Carlin 1m22.875s Group 2 5. Robin Frijns Fortec 1m23.209s Group 1 6. Nico Muller Draco 1m23.032s Group 2 7. Kevin Korjus Tech 1 1m23.507s Group 1 8. Nick Yelloly Comtec 1m23.790s Group 2 9. Marco Sorensen Lotus 1m23.552s Group 1 10. Walter Grubmuller P1 1m23.846s Group 2 11. Mikhail Aleshin RFR 1m23.759s Group 1 12. Carlos Huertas Fortec 1m23.865s Group 2 13. Jake Rosenzweig ISR 1m24.083s Group 1 14. Will Stevens Carlin 1m23.938s Group 2 15. Richie Stanaway Lotus 1m24.546s Group 1 16. Lucas Foresti DAMS 1m24.000s Group 2 17. Arthur Pic DAMS 1m24.559s Group 1 18. Anton Nebylitskiy RFR 1m24.089s Group 2 19. Vittorio Ghirelli Comtec 1m26.112s Group 1 20. Andre Negrao Draco 1m24.149s Group 2 21. Giovanni Venturini BVM Target 1m26.921s Group 1 22. Zoel Amberg Pons 1m24.228s Group 2 23. Yann Cunha Pons 1m27.169s Group 1 24. Lewis Williamson Arden 1m24.878s Group 2 25. Nikolay Martsenko BVM Target 1m29.946s Group 1 26. Daniil Move P1 1m25.990s Group 2
