As the sun set, the Dutch Red Bull junior took his first pole of the season for Hitech Grand Prix with a 1m40.221s.
He took an early lead with a 1m41.599s before a red flag halted running for 10 minutes after Campos Racing’s Olli Caldwell went off at Turn 3.
Despite challenges from Jake Hughes (Van Amersfoort Racing) and Campos’ Ralph Boschung, who took the lead with just under 10 minutes remaining, Vips managed to improve and ended the session 0.15s ahead.
DAMS’ Ayumu Iwasa will line up alongside him for Sunday’s race, with Jack Doohan in third for Virtuosi, having shot up from 21st with a brilliant last-minute flying lap.
Boschung was first to set a quick lap after the session was delayed by the late-running Formula 1 qualifying session, with a 1m45.248s.
Though MP Motorsport’s Clement Novalak soon demoted him, Boschung reclaimed the top spot until he was surpassed by Vips.
Hughes briefly held the top spot ahead of the red flag, before Vips once again improved on his time.
Frederik Vesti was able to make his first outing onto the track after the stoppage, having suffered an issue hampering his running for much of the session which left him in the pits, and despite making it up to seventh, was forced to settle for 16th at the end of the session.
Carlin’s Liam Lawson went third quickest at the halfway point, setting a 1m41.929s, while Felipe Drugovich went fourth.
But the pair failed to keep up with the rest of the pack as the times tumbled and will start in 14th and 12th respectively.
Theo Pourchaire and Marcus Armstrong were also running inside the top 5, but suffered a similar fate and will start seventh and ninth.
Boschung held on to take fourth place, with Prema Racing rookie lining up fifth at the team’s home race.
Roy Nissany shot up to third place for DAMS towards the end of the session, but will settle for sixth place having been demoted by Doohan, Boschung and Hauger.
Logan Sargeant will start on pole for Saturday’s reverse-grid sprint race, with…
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