Collet becomes seventh pole winner as title contenders flounder in Spa · RaceFans

Caio Collet took pole in Formula 3, the seventh different pole winner this year in the series, while title leaders floundered around a wet Spa.

Earlier rain, which had started during Formula 1’s first practice session, continued through to the start of F3 qualifying, with drivers going out on full wet tyres. However, the rain appeared to stop just a few minutes into the session.

Ollie Bearman set an early fastest time of 2’22.931 on the wet track, but there was a red flag with just under 20 minutes remaining when Jak Crawford spin at Campus and beached his car in the gravel when attempting to rejoin. When the session restarted,the track was dry enough for all drivers to go out on slicks but not without some slippery areas on teh damp track

Championship contender Isack Hadjar set the fastest time on slicks, on a 2’18.666, only to be beaten by Victor Martins. Both were then bested by Caio Collet and William Alatalo, on a 2’16.718 as times began to tumble on the drying track and cars burned off their fuel loads.

Rafael Villagomez had a spin through Les Combes, showing there were still treacherous areas of the track. But going into the final five minutes of the session, Alex Smolyar led the times with a 2’15.121 that was smashed by Roman Stanek, setting a 2’13.944 thirty seconds later.

Hadjar and Zane Maloney also found times in the 2’13s but could not best Stanek. Until Collet set a 2’13.783 with just under three minutes left. Stanek reclaimed the top spot, the first to set a time below 2’13 with a 2’12.651.

With less than a minute to go, a yellow flag was brought out in sector one after Hadjar stopped at the pit entry. Maloney still managed to improve, setting a 2’11.551. One of the last cars across the line, Collet bested him to ultimately take pole position with a 2’11.289.

Hadjar and Victor Martins qualified 23rd and 24th after Hadjar’s car failure and Martins not seeming to get a clean lap later in the session, giving both title protagonists a huge amount of work this weekend. Meanwhile third-placed Arthur Leclerc also failed to take advantage of the front runners’ poor session, himself down in 20th.

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Formula 3 Belgium qualifying results