Swede Jimmy Eriksson took his maiden GP3 Series pole position on a wet Silverstone circuit, ending the 100% record of Alex Lynn who could only qualify alongside him on the front row.
Eriksson’s best lap time of 2:05.322s, set towards the end of the session after recovering from an earlier spin, was enough to bump Lynn down to second place by 0.316s, and cut the gap between the two drivers in the championship by four points.
Marvin Kirchhofer, who raced in the British Formula 3 round at Silverstone earlier this year to get acquainted with the circuit, qualified third on the grid for ART Grand Prix, but was over a second behind the Koiranen GP pole setter Eriksson. Dino Zamparelli was fourth in the second ART machine, ahead of fellow Brit of Jann Mardenborough of Arden International who had his best qualifying session to date in his short GP3 Series career.
Emil Bernstorff made if four Britons in the top six by qualifying sixth in the second Carlin entry, while Richie Stanaway, currently third in the championship standings was seventh on the grid, just ahead of his Status Grand Prix team-mate and the fourth Briton in the top eight Nick Yelloly. Italian Riccardo Agostini was ninth for Hilmer Motorsport as he continued to impress after his debut last time out in Austria, while Alfonso Celis Jr made it three Status Grand Prix cars in the top ten after a good session for the young Mexican.
The two drivers making their GP3 Series debut this weekend both failed to set a time during the session, and it will be up to the stewards discretion whether Sebastian Balthasar of Hilmer Motorsport and Mitch Gilbert of Trident Racing are allowed to start race one that starts this afternoon. In the tricky conditions Gilbert misjudged where Balthasar was on the Hangar Straight and crashed into the back of the German, ending both of their sessions early, and causing an early red flag.
Silverstone Qualifying Result
| POS | DRIVER | NAT | TEAM | TIME |
| 1 | Jimmy Eriksson | SWE | Koiranen GP | 2:05.322 |
| 2 | Alex Lynn | GBR | Carlin | 2:05.638 |
| 3 | Marvin Kirchhofer | GER | ART Grand Prix | 2:06.385 |
| 4 | Dino Zamparelli | GBR | ART Grand Prix | 2:06.392 |
| 5 | Jann Mardenborough | GBR | Arden International | 2:06.430 |
| 6 | Emil Bernstorff | GBR | Carlin | 2:06.669 |
| 7 | Richie Stanaway | NZL | Status Grand Prix | 2:06.704 |
| 8 | Nick Yelloly | GBR | Status Grand Prix | 2:06.805 |
| 9 | Riccardo Agostini | ITA | Hilmer Motorsport | 2:07.202 |
| 10 | Alfonso Celis Jr | MEX | Status Grand Prix | 2:07.291 |
| 11 | Robert Visoiu | ROM | Arden International | 2:07.293 |
| 12 | Patrick Kujala | FIN | Marussia Manor Racing | 2:07.417 |
| 13 | Pal Varhaug | NOR | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:07.490 |
| 14 | Alex Fontana | SWI | ART Grand Prix | 2:07.585 |
| 15 | Matheo Tuscher | SWI | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:07.601 |
| 16 | Dean Stoneman | GBR | Marussia Manor Racing | 2:07.613 |
| 17 | Roman de Beer | RSA | Trident Racing | 2:07.753 |
| 18 | Luis Sa Silva | MAC | Carlin | 2:07.803 |
| 19 | Nelson Mason | CAN | Hilmer Motorsport | 2:08.233 |
| 20 | Patric Niederhauser | SWI | Arden International | 2:08.302 |
| 21 | Ryan Cullen | GBR | Marussia Manor Racing | 2:09.570 |
| 22 | Adderly Fong | CHN | Jenzer Motorsport | 2:09.647 |
| 23 | Santiago Urrutia | URU | Koiranen GP | 2:09.968 |
| 24 | Victor Carbone | BRZ | Trident Racing | 2:11.380 |
| 25 | Carmen Jorda | ESP | Koiranen GP | 2:13.958 |
| 26 | Sebastian Balthasar | GER | Hilmer Motorsport | No Time |
| 27 | Mitch Gilbert | AUS | Trident Racing | No Time |
