GP3: Ferrari F1 junior Leclerc takes pole

GP3 championship leader Charles Leclerc claimed pole position at Spa, as title rival Alexander Albon ended up only 17th.

Leclerc snatched pole away from Jake Hughes by 0.363 seconds with a 2m04.896s lap moments after Hughes – winner of the last race before the break at Hockenheim – put his DAMS car on provisional pole.

Albon had been ahead of ART Grand Prix teammate Leclerc going into the final runs, when they sat sixth and eighth on the grid, but while Leclerc leapt to the top, Albon slid off the road on the exit of Fagnes. An attempt at a second flying lap on that set of tires only led to a tiny improvement over his first run and Albon tumbled back to the ninth row.

Early provisional polesitter Nyck de Vries finished the session third in the second-best ART car, joined on row two by title contender Antonio Fuoco. Hughes's DAMS teammate Kevin Jorg and leading Koiranen runner Matt Parry completed the top six.

Oscar Tunjo was only 16th on his return to the series with Jenzer after a three-round absence, while European Formula 3 front-running Red Bull junior Niko Kari – making a guest appearance with Koiranen – will start 21st for his GP3 debut.

Originally on Autosport.com