QUALIFYING: Browning takes dramatic Pole Position in rain-affected session

5 July 2024

Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Luke Browning took a last-gasp Pole Position at a rain-hampered Qualifying in Silverstone ahead of Jenzer Motorsport’s Max Esterson and Trident’s Sami Meguetounif.

The Championship leader left it late on a drying lap with a time of 1:44.992 to take top spot with Esterson following his P1 in Practice to go to within 0.045s off pole to seal a maiden front row start.

Following the morning’s wet Practice, the drivers went out on the Hard tyres, but as they started their warmup laps reports of heavy rain started to come in over the radios.

Van Amersfoort Racing’s Noel León then set the initial time to beat with a lap of 1:45.475, Alexander Dunne moved up to second, just 0.070s off top spot, while Gabriele Minì settled into third for PREMA Racing.

However, as most of the grid returned to the pitlane looking to strap on a new set of hards, the rain intensified. This left Dino Beganovic at the back after the Swede lost his initial time to a track limits violation, while Championship leader Luke Browning was demoted to P13 by Tim Tramnitz.

But with all looking lost, the drivers ventured out on to the track aiming to do as much learning in mixed conditions before tomorrow’s Sprint Race.

León will start from reverse grid pole for the Sprint Race

However, the track began to improve heading into the final minute, with Leonardo Fornaroli going fastest on a 1:45.265. This was bad news for the drivers in the pit lane like León and Dunne as the timing screens lit up with purple and green sectors.

Browning then came across the line to complete a lap of 1:44.992 giving him Pole Position on home soil, as Esterson went second moments later. Meguetounif then moved up to P3 ahead of Fornaroli with Laurens van Hoepen in fifth for ART Grand Prix.

Charlie Wurz was another late improver for Jenzer as his late lap put him in P6, while ART teammates Mansell and Tsolov also made it into the top 10.

Callum Voisin had been fastest in the drying conditions for Rodin Motorsport but ended up in P9 ahead of Matías Zagazeta, who made it three Jenzer cars in the top 10.

Arvid Lindblad went to P11 for PREMA Racing while León, after looking set to take his maiden Formula 3 Pole Position, qualified in P12 and will start from reverse grid pole in the Sprint Race, which is set to start 09:20 local time on Saturday morning.