Max just misses out on pole in qualifying thriller

Published on 09 May 2014 by Stefan Meens

In an epic battle for the prime spot on the race 1 starting grid, Max Verstappen missed out on pole by 0.024s. In the streets of Pau, Verstappen and Esteban Ocon were nip tuck throughout the first day of the third FIA Formula 3 European Championship round. Both drivers took a P1 each in the two practice sessions. However, it was Ocon who clinched pole position ahead Max. Despite being second fastest, Max will drop to third, due to the grid being formed by alternate times taken from two qualifying sessions.

The day started with two forty minute practice sessions. Throughout free practice 1, it is a close battle between Ocon, Felix Rosenqvist and Max. In the end, the 16-year-old Dutchman takes the top spot with a 1:11.2 ahead of Ocon.
“My preparation ahead of Pau was the same as always. I’ve done some practising in the simulator but in the end it’s all about going out onto the track in real life”, reveals Max. “I took it easy in the early stages of the first free practice, but I got used to track quickly and the car felt really good so I could easily pick up the pace. And as long as you stay out of the barriers, the fast lap times will eventually follow.”

After a five minute break, the second practice session kicks off. Once again it is Max and Ocon who fight for the top spot. This time the Frenchman takes P1 with a 1:10.6, two tenths ahead of Max.

In the afternoon it is time for qualifying. Due to the track being only 1.7 miles long, the drivers are split into two groups. The odd numbers are in group A and the even numbers battle for pole in group B. As Max and Ocon are both in the group B, it is impossible for them to start on the front row together as the grid is being formed by alternate times taken from the two groups.

First up are the drivers in group A. Their twenty minute session is red flagged once but the intermezzo does not bother Lucas Auer who sets the fastest time in the group (1:10.429).
The second session is highlighted by an epic duel between, you guessed it, Max and Ocon. From the moment the pit lane opens, the Frenchman sets the pace, with only Verstappen junior within striking distance. A dozen minutes or so into the session, the youngsters are separated by a mere 0.013s before Ocon extends his leads to 0.052s.

With four and a half minutes to go, the session is red flagged. As qualifying restarts for the final time, Ocon's Prema Powerteam Dallara-Mercedes holds a 0.003s advantage over Verstappen's Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara-Volkswagen. However, the fight is not over yet! The teenagers stay on track and push each other to the max. In their last flying lap, both drivers improve their fastest times by a whopping four tenths. In the end, it is local hero Ocon who clinches pole with a 1:10.072, beating Max by 0.024s.

“I'm happy with my qualifying”, says Max. “It's a shame I missed out on pole by two hundreds of a second. I'm a bit disappointed that I'm demoted to third on the grid, even though I was second fastest. On the other hand, it was a good session. Of course, I could've gone a little bit faster but second in my group is a good result.”

With the two red flags breaking up the session, the drivers faced a new challenge. Max: “In those moments you really lose your flow because you have to return to the pits, which means you lose two vital laps. However, I don’t think it did me much harm in the end.”

Ahead of the first race of weekend, Max is realistic: "It's going to be difficult to work my way to the very front as overtaking is virtually impossible, so I'll try to have a good start. After that we'll probably settle in our positions but regardless, I'm going to do my best.”

The full schedule for the FIA Formula 3 European Championship round at Pau can be found here.
Live timing is available at: http://live-itschrono.com/live-gp-pau/live.html
Live stream (races only) available at: http://www.fiaf3europe.com/livestream.html

Furthermore, via Twitter and Facebook we will keep you updated throughout the weekend followed by a full report on Verstappen.nl at the end of the day’s action. 

FIA Formula 3 European Championship Round 3 - Pau – Day 1, Friday May 9: 
Results free practice 1
Results free practice 2
Results qualifying 1 group A
Results qualifying 1 group B