Home NEWS by SERIES GP2 GP3 : 2012 Valencia - Qualifying report & result - Evans blazes to Race 1 grid pole
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GP3 : 2012 Valencia - Qualifying report & result - Evans blazes to Race 1 grid pole E-mail
Saturday, 23 June 2012 08:40
GP3 Series report and result from Iberian harbourside street circuit - New Zealander Mitch Evans stormed to pole position in today’s qualifying session at the Valencia street circuit in a sweltering session.

He will be joined by his MW Arden team-mate David Fumanelli on the front row while GP3 Series leader Aaro Vaino will start in P3.

The thirty minute qualifying session got underway with temperatures of 24 degrees, as the heat intensified on and off the track for the fierce battle for pole.

The Lotus GP trio were first to make their way onto track with Conor Daly on a mission as the American has a ten place grid penalty applied to his qualifying position for Race 1 later today.

After the initial installation laps, it was Evans who led the pack in front of Tio Ellinas (Marussia Manor Racing) until Kevin Ceccon (Ocean Racing Technology) and Fumanelli displaced the Cypriot.

Evans was the first driver to break into the 1’58s barrier and held position at the top of the timings at the midway point. With 12 minutes remaining, Vainio snatched provisional pole just one tenth faster than the New Zealander.

Daly rose to P4 with Fumanelli going P1 until his team-mate improved on his time by a mere 0.033s.

In the final three minutes, Ceccon grabbed P3, demoting Vainio but the Finn battled back to reclaim his position.

Traffic played a big part towards the ends of the session with Jenzer Motorsport’s Patric Niederhauser having stopped on the start/finish straight which caused the yellow flags to come out meaning drivers had to lift off on their final attempt.

Evans clinched his third pole of his GP3 career with Fumanelli achieving a career best in second. Vaino in P3 starts ahead of Ceccon, Antonio Felix Da Costa (Carlin) and Ellinas.

Daly qualified P7 but will line up 17th. Matias Laine (MW Arden), Marlon Stockinger (Status Grand Prix) and Daniel Abt complete the top ten.

2012 GP3 Valencia - Qualifying results
Pos. Driver Team Time Laps
1 Mitch Evans MW Arden 1'58.478 12
2 David Fumanelli MW Arden 1'58.511 11
3 Aaro Vainio Lotus GP 1'58.567 13
4 Kevin Ceccon Ocean Racing Technology 1'58.772 12
5 Antonio Felix Da Costa ** Carlin 1'58.991 13
6 Tio Ellinas Marussia Manor Racing 1'59.009 12
7 Conor Daly * Lotus GP 1'59.015 12
8 Matias Laine MW Arden 1'59.031 12
9 Marlon Stockinger Status Grand Prix 1'59.091 12
10 Daniel Abt Lotus GP 1'59.276 13
11 Tamas Pal Kiss Atech CRS GP 1'59.332 14
12 William Buller Carlin 1'59.356 12
13 Alice Powell Status Grand Prix 1'59.399 12
14 Robert Visoiu Jenzer Motorsport 1'59.568 13
15 Fabiano Machado Marussia Manor Racing 1'59.708 13
16 Alex Brundle Carlin 1'59.820 12
17 Patric Niederhauser Jenzer Motorsport 1'59.906 12
18 John Wartique Atech CRS GP 2'00.047 14
19 Dmitry Suranovich Marussia Manor Racing 2'00.062 13
20 Robert Cregan Ocean Racing Technology 2'00.306 13
21 Antonio Spavone Trident Racing 2'00.334 13
22 Vicky Piria Trident Racing 2'00.406 13
23 Ethan Ringel Atech CRS GP 2'01.300 13
24 Carmen Jorda Ocean Racing Technology 2'02.103 12

2012 GP3 Valencia - Grid penalties
* Conor Daly will start from 17th after a ten place grid penalty - Causing a collision - Stewards' document No. 34 - Monaco 2012

** Carlin's Antonio Felix Da Costa will now start at the back of the grid in 24th position after stewards declared that car #27 be removed from the results of the qualifying session held this morning - Stewards' Document No. 9.

Stewards confirm that car #27 did not comply with Articles 1.3 and 1.4 of the 2012 GP3 Series Technical Regulations in that the thickness of the brake discs fitted to the car was less than the minimum stipulated in the Dallara manual.

Due to Felix Da Costa's practice times on Friday morning, he is allowed to start the race from the back of the grid. The Portuguese driver had qualified in fifth place before this penalty was issued.

2012 GP3 Valencia - Race 1 provisional starting grid
Pos. N° Driver Time Team
1 4 M. EVANS 1'58.478 MW Arden
2 5 D. FUMANELLI 1'58.511 MW Arden
3 3 A. VAINIO 1'58.567 Lotus GP
4 18 K. CECCON 1'58.772 Ocean Racing Technology
5 9 T. ELLINAS 1'59.009 Marussia Manor Racing
6 6 M. LAINE 1'59.031 MW Arden
7 14 M. STOCKINGER 1'59.091 Status Grand Prix
8 1 D. ABT 1'59.276 Lotus GP
9 29 T. PAL KISS 1'59.332 Atech CRS GP
10 28 W. BULLER 1'59.356 Carlin
11 16 A. POWELL 1'59.399 Status Grand Prix
12 20 R. VISOIU 1'59.568 Jenzer Motorsport
13 8 F. MACHADO 1'59.708 Marussia Manor Racing
14 26 A. BRUNDLE 1'59.820 Carlin
15 21 P. NIEDERHAUSER 1'59.906 Jenzer Motorsport
16 2 C. DALY * 1'59.015 Lotus GP
17 30 J. WARTIQUE 2'00.047 Atech CRS GP
18 7 D. SURANOVICH 2'00.062 Marussia Manor Racing
19 19 R. CREGAN 2'00.306 Ocean Racing Technology
20 24 A. SPAVONE 2'00.334 Trident Racing
21 23 V. PIRIA 2'00.406 Trident Racing
22 31 E. RINGEL 2'01.300 Atech CRS GP
23 17 C. JORDA 2'02.103 Ocean Racing Technology
24 27 A. FELIX DA COSTA ** 1'58.991 Carlin

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