Nikola Tsolov delivered a standout performance in Monte Carlo, taking his maiden F3 pole position during a controlled and dominant run in Group A. Roman Biliski took advantage of track evolution to secure the front row in Group B.
Group A: Tsolov Maiden F3 Pole
Nikola Tsolov, Campor Racing driver, claimed his maiden F3 Pole when he set the benchmark with a 1:24.882. That was a time no one else across both qualifying groups could match. Traffic, often a massive disruption around Monaco’s narrow layout, remained a non-issue for most in Group A. The only notable holdup occurred when Bruno Del Pino impeded Martinius Stenshorne’s final push at Rascasse. Mari Boya came closest to Tsolov, finishing just 0.127s back. PREMA’s Noël León was a further 0.504s off in third, with Wurz, Taponen, and Stenshorne rounding out the top six.
Group A Top 6:
| 1. N. Tsolov | 1:24.882 |
| 2. M. Boya | 1:25.009 |
| 3. N. Leon | 1:25.386 |
| 4. C. Wurz | 1:25.412 |
| 5. T. Taponen | 1:25.520 |
| 6. M. Stenshorne | 1:25.722 |
Group B: Bilinski’s Surprise Pole Claim
Group B, however, delivered the drama. With five different drivers holding P1 at various points, it was Rodin Motorsport’s Roman Bilinski who emerged on top after a red flag reset the session’s momentum. Brando Badoer’s shunt at Sainte Devote halted proceedings with just over three minutes left, and the field had time for one last flyer on the restart.
Bilinski made it count, posting a 1:25.332 that edged out teammate Callum Voisin by 0.027s. Tim Tramnitz, who led much of the session, slipped to third after failing to improve on his final lap. MP Motorsport, ART, and Trident cars filled out the remaining top slots, showing just how competitive the midfield remains this season.
Group B Top 6:
| 1. R. Bilinski | 1:25.332 |
| 2. C. Voisin | 1:25.359 |
| 3. T. Tramnitz | 1:25.425 |
| 4. R. Camara | 1:25.484 |
| 5. L. Van Hoepen | 1:25.565 |
| 6. A. Giusti | 1:25.653 |
Up Next – Sprint Race
With Monaco’s notoriously tight configuration limiting overtaking, track position will be everything. That gives Tsolov and Bilinski a massive advantage heading into Saturday’s Sprint Race. For Tsolov, it’s not just a career milestone but a crucial chance to convert pole into victory on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.
The Sprint is set for green at 10:45 a.m. track time Saturday morning.
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Feature Image Credit: Red Bull Media Centre
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