QUALIFYING: Browning on pole after dramatic session in Monza

Luke Browning earned his first Aramco Pole Position Award, ending Qualifying fastest of all for Hitech TGR in Monza.

The Williams Racing Development Driver set a 1:32.390 to lead the field ahead of Richard Verschoor and Kush Maini of DAMS Lucas Oil, though the MP Motorsport driver’s result could yet lose his time for bringing out a Red Flag at the end of the session.

There was no great rush to get out of the pitlane as everyone aimed for the ideal track conditions and a slipstream from a rival.

Alexander Dunne opted to go without a tow, and he set the pace early on with a 1:33.554. Verschoor bettered that, before teammate Oliver Goethe went quicker still, a 1:32.817 the next benchmark to beat. Maini obliged to go 0.082s quicker than the MP driver.

The Red Flags were waving before anyone could deliver a second attempt after Gabriele Minì came to a halt between the two Lesmo corners. AIX Racing’s Cian Shields also stopped on track and needed recovering before the session resumed with 17 minutes remaining.

Browning then delivered a 1:32.390 to go quickest on the next set of laps for Hitech, 0.3s quicker than Verschoor in P2.

Championship leader Leonardo Fornaroli had looked like setting a competitive time, but he too came to a halt on track, bringing out the second Red Flag of the session.

The session resumed with a reduced time remaining and plenty of drivers looking for an improvement.

Verschoor wanted a tow but had to lead the pack as the next set of laps got underway. A spin at the first Lesmo though left the Dutchman in the barriers and brought out the Red Flags for the third time.

With less than two minutes to go, the session was not resumed, and it left Browning on pole for the Feature Race.

Verschoor had been second but having been the sole cause of the Red Flag, may lose his laptime. Maini wound up third ahead of Roman Stanek and Goethe in fifth.

Dunne finished up sixth ahead of Arvid Lindblad, Joshua Duerksen, Fornaroli and Sami Meguetounif in P10.

The FIA Formula 2 Sprint Race is scheduled to get underway at 14:15 local time on Saturday.