PREMA Racing‘s Marcus Armstrong will start the FIA Formula 3 Championship Feature Race at the Red Bull Ring from pole position.
It is the Kiwi’s maiden pole position in the series.
Joining Armstrong on the front row will be Max Fewtrell with Jüri Vips completing the top three.
It was a difficult session for championship challenger Robert Shwartzman who could only manage twelfth on the grid.
Having led the way in practice this morning, Armstrong would have been hopeful of repeating that feat in qualifying.
In the early stages of the session, PREMA duo Shwartzman and Jehan Daruvala were tussling for first as the team looks to sweep the race wins once again this weekend.
Armstrong added his PREMA to the mix, but the trio were joined by ART Grand Prix who showed their hand.
David Beckmann slotted into third with Fewtrell and Christian Lundgaard just behind him.
The session was cut short for Shwartzman, the most recent winner in the series, as he suffered a technical gremlin that forced him to come to a halt at Turn 4.
Armstrong took advantage of this, to ensure a PREMA remained on top and set the quickest lap.
The session was red flagged after Logan Sargeant became airborne at the final corner and crashed into the barrier. The American was able to walk away.
Just before this, Armstrong was going quick once again having set the fastest time in the first sector but had to back off.
Elsewhere, Hitech Grand Prix team-mates Vips and Leonardo Pulcini were able to complete their laps and slotted into third and fourth before the break in action.
With just four minutes on the clock, the session was resumed. Vips got the running back underway but narrowly missed out on Amrstong’s benchmark by 0.180 seconds.
Daruvala and Lundgaard each set fast final laps to bring themselves back up the order but both were denied by Fewtrell who put in a storming lap to claim second.
This meant, Armstrong hung on to his maiden pole in the series.
Fewtrell will start second with Vips third.
Daruvala and Lundgaard complete the top five.
Paul Ricard pole sitter Jake Hughes will start six ahead of Pulcini, Pedro Piquet, Beckmann and Sebastian Fernandez.
However, as a result of a penalty from practice Fernandez will take a three place grid drop.
ART drivers Beckmann and Lundgaard will start from the back after being disqualified from the qualifying.
The race gets underway at 10.25 local time tomorrow.
2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship: Red Bull Ring – Qualifying
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