In a session cut short when Browning hit the wall, Laurens Van Hoepen took pole with a 1:33.935 in the F3 Qualifying for the 2024 Hungarian GP. He led from teammate Tsolov and Fornaroli.
The top 3 drivers are split by just 7 points heading into the F3 Hungarian GP weekend, with Gabriele Minì leading the way.
Mari Boya topped the practice session, but it was anyone’s chance for qualifying. The light at the end of the pit lane went green, and they all funnelled out onto the track. Christian Mansell led the pack as they marched towards the line for their first flying laps.
Mansell went wide on his lap as we saw Sophia Floersch spin and momentarily stop bringing out the yellow flags. Lauens Van Hoepen in the ART was the first flying lap doing a 1:35.343.
However, as the drivers crossed the line, the AIX drivers took the top three places, with Dufek leading the team with a 1:34.414.
After completing the first set of fast laps, the drivers headed into the pits and waited for the pack to head out again. Browning led the grid around the track.
Browning had a purple sector but was struggling with the balance of the car through the middle of the track and he goes second fastest. The Van Amersfoort Racing of Noel Leon went fastest with a 1:34.174.
Fornaroli then crossed the line fastest with a 1:34.173 – fastest by just 0.001. Behind Gabriele Minì only managed to go 15th fastest.
10 Minutes to go
The cars headed briefly back into the pit lane and when the clock hit five and a half minutes; they went out for their final set of fast laps.
Laurens Van Hoepen led the grid in the final sets of flying laps. He managed a personal best in the first sector and despite a big snap; he crossed the line to take provisional pole.
Behind, Luke Browning spun and hit the wall by turning 11. The contact for Browning in the Hitech Pulse-Eight brought out a red flag.
Sammy Meguetonif, who was going fastest at the time, had to stop his lap because of the calling of the red flag.
Browning’s troubles may not have been over. Though he sat 7th when the red flag was called, the new regulations around drivers in qualifying causing red flags, may lead to his having his fastest lap time deleted.
In the end, Laurens Van Hoepen with the ART led with a 1:33.935, behind was his teammate Nikolai Tsolov with a 1:34.168 and Leonardo Fornaroli in third with a 1:34.173.
The AIX driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak qualified 12th, so will start on pole for the sprint race.
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