Koiranen GP driver Kevin Korjus set the early GP3 pace in Valencia but it was Indy 500 participant Conor Daly who took Saturday’s spoils as he snatched pole for the standalone GP3 events first race.
However, penalties handed out after the race means that many positions have been rearranged with many faster drivers being sent to the back.
Earlier in the day Free Practice started and concluded without much incident as Estonian Korjus set 1:22.058 midway through the session as Carlin’s Nick Yelloly went three tenths slower to claim P2.
Yelloly was one of the handful of drivers penalised following the qualifying session – he had qualified third but because of a breach of technical regulations and will now start at back of the grid.
Joining him is Bamboo Engineering’s Aaron Williamson who also breached technical regulations with Patrick Kujala penalised for overtaking Koiranen team mate Aaro Vainio under red flag conditions.
Completing the happy set at back of the grid is GP3 rookie Ryan Cullen who also brought out the first red flag of the day after spinning and beaching himself in the gravel trap. He finished outside the 110% limit for qualifying times and received a five place grid penalty for good measure — he will start 27th for Marussia Manor Racing.
However Conor Daly in the ART Grand Prix car timed his flying lap perfectly as he claimed P1 with a 1:22.329 lap just as a second red flag came out as Adderly Fong stopped on track in his Status GP racer.
As the session restarted there was a mad dash to make use of the remaining two minutes but the only improvement was by Spaniard Carlos Sainz as he went ninth for MW Arden.
Race one will take place at 11:00 and Race two at 15:00 – both times are CET.
