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Alexander Smolyar takes pole position in Monza as heartbreak occurs for Isack Hadjar.
In very different conditions to the earlier practice session, the Temple of Speed holds host to the Formula 3 finale.
As it happened
The Jenzer trio led the grid out onto the track.
Caio Collet claimed the first representative time of the session with a 1:38.918. After a flurry of lap times championship contender, Roman Stanek took the top spot with a 1:38.431. Jonny Edgar claimed P2 with a 1:38.836 while Isack Hadjar took the final podium position with a 1:38.890.
As improvements flooded in Stanek maintained the top spot however improved to a 1:38.107. Edgar also maintained P2 with a 1:38.422 while Zane Maloney made it a Trident one-two-three with a 1:38.369.
This order however was soon displaced as Juan Manuel Correa claimed P4 with a 1:38.421. Contender Oliver Bearman also improved to P2 with a 1:38.206.
As the championship battle is tight Isack Hadjar’s fight may have ended early as he takes to the gravel at turn 11 after a snap of oversteer. This brought out the red flags, ending his qualifying.
Title contender and second in the championship…
Isack Hadjar crashes out of qualifying#ItalianGP #F3Finale pic.twitter.com/6O3DWefGbQ
— Formula 3 (@FIAFormula3) September 9, 2022
Racing Resumes
With just over 15 minutes remaining on the clock, racing resumed however as David Vidales took to the track the majority of the field opted to remain in the pits.
With nine minutes remaining the rookie driver Alessandro Famularo had the track to himself as the rest of the field remained in the pits.
As the eight-minute mark was met the field peeled out of the pits. The traffic built on turn 11 as most of the field opted to take through the pits to try to find some space.
On the ever-improving track, the lap times flurried in. Alexander Smolyar took the top spot with a 1:37.559. Maloney took P2 with a 1:37.606 while Stanek claimed the final podium position with a 1:37.750.
Returnee Hunter Yeany brought out the yellow flags after finding the sector one gravel trap. This left the rest of the field unable to improve handing the provisional pole to Smolyar.
Championship Battle
As the battle heats up in the top seven, Hadjar found heartbreak after a costly mistake that will see him start P16 in both the Sprint and Feature Races.
Crawford starts in front of the other championship contenders in tomorrow’s Sprint Race which should allow him some advantage. The rest of the contenders are however bunched up between P7 and P11.
Who will take the upper hand?
Qualifying Classification
The top 12 classified as followed;
1st- Smolyar
2nd- Maloney
3rd- Stanek
4th- Martins
5th- Leclerc
6th- Bearman
7th- Alatalo
8th- Crawford
9th- Correa
10th- Edgar
11th- Marti
12th- Collet
Caio Collet will start tomorrow’s Sprint Race from pole.
Head Image Credit: Alex Pantling via Getty Images
