Qualifying report
FIA F3 Bahrain
Bahrain GP3: Ocon takes points lead with pole position
Esteban Ocon took the GP3 Series championship lead after snatching pole position for race one at Bahrain and the four points that go with it.
Charles Bradley
Edited: Nov 19, 2015, 12:52 PM
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ART Grand Prix driver Ocon, who came into the weekend two points behind leader Luca Ghiotto, secured the top spot by an impressive 0.504s.
Arden’s Emil Bernstorff set the early pace on 1m47.806s, but was quickly toppled from P1 by Trident’s Ghiotto on 1m47.677s. Ocon was third-fastest at that point.
Russian racer Matevos Isaakyan then caused a red flag after 10mins, the Formula Renault 2.0 frontrunner stopping at Turn 10.
At the resumption, Kevin Ceccon leapt to third, 0.148s off the pole time.
In the closing moments, Alex Palou rocketed to the top of the times on 1m47.218s, just 0.041s ahead of Marvin Kirchhofer.
Ghiotto improved to 1m47.307s, which was only good enough for third, before Ocon jumped to the top on 1m46.684s – over half a second clear of his rivals.
Ceccon improved to 1m47.197s to go second, but Ghiotto beat him by 0.009s, snatching a front row spot at the chequered flag.
The title rivals will thus start alongside each other for Friday afternoon’s race one.
Palou will start fourth, ahead of Kirchhofer, Artur Janosz, Bernstorff and Jann Mardenborough.
Pos. Driver Team Time Gap 1 
Esteban Ocon ART Grand Prix 1:46.684 2 
Luca Ghiotto Trident 1:47.188 0.504 3 Kevin Ceccon Arden International 1:47.197 0.513 4 
Alex Palou Campos Racing 1:47.218 0.534 5 
Marvin Kirchhofer ART Grand Prix 1:47.259 0.575 6 
Artur Janosz Trident 1:47.618 0.934 7 
Emil Bernstorff Arden International 1:47.663 0.979 8 Jann Mardenborough Carlin 1:47.686 1.002 9 
Jimmy Eriksson Koiranen GP 1:47.713 1.029 10 Antonio Fuoco Carlin 1:47.833 1.149 11 
Alex Fontana Status Grand Prix 1:47.944 1.260 12 Ralph Boschung Jenzer Motorsport 1:47.947 1.263 13 
Mitchell Gilbert Carlin 1:47.954 1.270 14 
Alfonso Celis ART Grand Prix 1:48.103 1.419 15 
Pal Varhaug Jenzer Motorsport 1:48.109 1.425 16 Seb Morris Status Grand Prix 1:48.265 1.581 17 Michele Beretta Trident 1:48.290 1.606 18 Matt Parry Koiranen GP 1:48.304 1.620 19 Matheo Tuscher Jenzer Motorsport 1:48.314 1.630 20 Aleksander Bosak Arden International 1:48.359 1.675 21 
Matevos Isaakyan Koiranen GP 1:48.576 1.892 22 
Zaid Ashkanani Campos Racing 1:48.775 2.091 23 
Sandy Stuvik Status Grand Prix 1:48.815 2.131 24 Konstantin Tereshchenko Campos Racing 1:48.946 2.262
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