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Qualifying report

Ferrucci and Cao share poles at Brands Hatch

Fortec Motorsport team-mates shared the two available pole positions between them.

Martin Cao

Martin Cao

Daniel James Smith

Matt Rao, Peter Li Zhi Cong
Peter Li Zhi Cong
Race winner Matt Rao
Camren Kaminsky, Max Marshall
Martin Cao, Camren Kaminsky, Max Marshall
Max Marshall
Max Marshall
Max Marshall
Max Marshall
Peter Li Zhi Cong
Peter Li Zhi Cong
Camren Kaminsky

At Brands Hatch this afternoon, it was all about new boy Santino Ferrucci (Fortec Motorsport) freshly imported from the FIA F3 European Championship and Hongwei Cao (Fortec Motorsport), who has been racing in this series all season, the team-mates splitting the two available pole positions between them at the end of a session that looked as if it was going to go Ferrucci’s way right up to Cao’s final lap. The pair also grabbed a 2nd place apiece with Li Zhi Cong (Carlin) qualifying 3rd for both races.

Initially it was all about another new boy, Dan Wells (Double R Racing) who was early on the pace, much as he was in this morning’s free practice, while Max Marshall (Double R Racing), who drove Wells’ car at Thruxton, struggled with a different car (and far more downforce than he is used to) as he tried to get on terms with the circuit and the car. Running well – after a trip to Pembrey to work on his speed – was Li, who seemed to have benefitted from the work done in the wilds of Wales at Carlin’s shiny new training facility.

In fact Li was running so well he promptly went fastest but Wells responded by going even quicker. However, at this point all three Fortec drivers were still sitting in the pits waiting for their moment, so there was a lot more still to come. As Li again went fastest, the sound of the Fortec engines firing up could be heard. With the order currently Li, from Wells, Camren Kaminsky (Double R Racing) and Marshall, Matt Rao, the current championship leader, and Cao emerged onto the track.

Li was still pushing hard as Rao and Cao completed their out laps and the Chinese driver promptly upped the pace, raising the bar even further a lap later. It couldn’t last though, with Cao’s first flying lap proving sufficient for him to move into 2nd, and a lap later he was on pole from Li and Rao. As Cao increased the speed with a 1:19.908, all three Double R cars pitted along with Li. That left the Fortec boys with a clear run, as Ferrucci had now come out to play too. Complaints about traffic would certainly warrant at last a slap!

Ferrucci first flying lap was enough for 3rd, while Cao’s pole position time was promptly disallowed over track limits. Cao didn’t let it bother him, immediately setting a very similar time that this time was allowed to stand. We’d reached the halfway point now and Cao was ahead of Li, from Ferrucci, Rao, Wells, Kaminsky and Marshall. It wasn’t over yet though.

A very handy lap from Ferrucci, who has never been here before, was enough to put him briefly on pole but then he too had his time cancelled for not respecting track limits. He too didn’t let it bother him and immediately put in another flyer that put him back ahead. There were now less than ten minutes of the session remaining, and everyone was back on the track. It was Kaminsky who was next to grab an improvement, with a time that put him 4th.

At the front Ferrucci was also still flying, which meant the new provisional pole time was 1:19.698. It remained to be seen whether that had put the American teenager clear of the chasing pack or not. Wells was next to set a better time, but it only moved him to 5th, while Li’s improvement had no effect on his position and he stayed 3rd.

Grid Race 1 (Second Fastest Qualifying Laps):

1stNo. 10, Santino Ferrucci, USA, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:19.743

2nd – No. 57, Martin Cao, CHN, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1;19.766

3rd – No. 1, Li Zhi Cong, CHN, Carlin, Dallara F308, Volkswagen, 1:20.118

4th – No. 7, Matt Rao, GBR, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:20.299

5th – No. 16, Dan Wells, GBR, Double R Racing, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:20.419

6th – No. 34, Camren Kaminsky, USA, Double R Racing, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:20.422

7th – No. 18, Max Marshall, GBR, Double R Racing, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:21.527

Race 3 Grid (Fastest Qualifying Laps):

1stNo. 57, Martin Cao, CHN, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:19.495

2nd – No. 10, Santino Ferrucci, USA, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:19.698

3rd – No. 1, Li Zhi Cong, CHN, Carlin, Dallara F308, Volkswagen, 1:19.859

4th – No. 7, Matt Rao, GBR, Fortec Motorsport, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:20.248

5th – No. 34, Camren Kaminsky, USA, Double R Racing, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:20.274

6th – No. 16, Dan Wells, GBR, Double R Racing, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:20.343

7th – No. 18, Max Marshall, GBR, Double R Racing, Dallara F312, HWA Mercedes, 1:21.370

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