Eriksson flies to Monza pole

An exciting qualifying session in Monza for Round 7 of the 2014 GP3 Series saw Koiranen GP’s Jimmy Eriksson secure his second pole position of the season. The Swede was three tenths faster than ART Grand Prix’s Dino Zamparelli with Nick Yelloly for Status Grand Prix in third.

The thirty minute session was run in dry and sunny conditions with home favourite Riccardo Agostini first to lap in the 1m39’s. Fellow compatriot Kevin Ceccon was next to top the times before Series leader Alex Lynn took control of the timesheet by six tenths.

Lynn was first into the 1m38’s with Zamparelli rising to P2. The Carlin and Red Bull Junior ace lit sectors two and three in purple as the drivers returned to the pits at the midway point of the session for a second set of Pirelli rubber.

Eriksson jumped up to second quickest with Ceccon third before Yelloly posted the fastest time of the session with a 1:38.536 to take provisional pole by one tenth. He was joined by his teammate Richie Stanaway with the green and black squad locking out the front row, but as ever with Monza, the times tumbled furiously in the final minutes. Eriksson shot to pole with Zamparelli up to second whist the three time GP3 winner Lynn was on a hot lap in his pursuit to take the coveted pole.

Unfortunately for the Brit, there were yellow flags at Turn 11 after Alex Fontana had spun into the gravel, therefore Lynn had to back off and settle for sixth position, just behind his closest title rival Stanaway. At the chequered flag, Eriksson celebrated pole position as he hopes to reignite his title hopes, with Zamparelli enjoying his best qualifying with second. Yelloly, Emil Bernstorff, Stanaway, Lynn, Robert Visoiu, Marvin Kirchhöfer, Patrick Kujala and Dean Stoneman completed the top ten.

Race 1 takes place later today at 16:20 local time as the quest for supremacy continues.

Qualifying - Monza

 GP3 Series