FR3.5: Sainz leads Red Bull front row at Spa

Carlos Sainz Jr. led a Red Bull juniors sweep of the front row for the opening Formula Renault 3.5 race of the weekend at Spa ahead of Pierre Gasly.

Championship leader Sainz, who led the way after the first runs of the session, removed Gasly from top spot with around a minute to go, having been the last car to rejoin the track for a second run.

While the Spaniard could not improve on his final lap, two-tenths slower, he held onto pole as several of his closest challengers also failed to set a better time as the checkered flag came out. That left Gasly unchallenged for the second spot on the front row too, while Sauber Formula 1 junior Sergey Sirotkin was able to go faster at the end and took third spot.

The second row was completed by GP3 racer Richie Stanaway, who returns to FR3.5 this weekend in place of the injured Matthieu Vaxiviere, two years on from an accident at this circuit that threatened to end his career.

Roberto Merhi, Pietro Fantin, Matias Laine, Zoel Amberg and Marlon Stockinger all got the most out of their final runs to get into the top 10, while some of the more-fancied runners fell back after looking strong during the first runs.

Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato had been in contention at the front with Sainz and Sirotkin as Fortec and DAMS took control of the first half of the session, but while their teammates remained a factor in the fight for pole, Rowland slipped to 10th and Monaco winner Nato to 12th.

Monaco podium finishers Marco Sorensen and Jazeman Jaafar, both racing without teammates this season for Lotus and ISR, respectively, had to settle for the seventh row of the grid, just ahead of Monza race winner Will Stevens in 15th.