Jack Harvey notched up two pole positions in qualifying today at Donington Park for the final rounds of the 2012 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series, a performance the Carlin driver described as his most important of the season.

Following his successful appeal this week against a time penalty handed him a fortnight ago at Silverstone, Harvey goes into the Donington races just six points off the championship lead.

His best lap around the 2.5-mile Donington Grand Prix circuit was completed in 1m 22.590s, and his second-best lap was only fractionally slower at 1m 22.663s. His closest challenger, Fortec’s Alex Lynn, achieved a best time of 1m 22.675s.

Said Harvey: “That wasn’t bad ­ probably the most important poles of the year, and I think on a personal note it’s good following the appeal and everything to bounce back here.” The Racing Steps Foundation driver says he will be happy whether it stays dry or rains at Donington this afternoon: “I think we are in good shape in the wet and the dry, so I’m reasonably confident whatever happens…”

The three major title protagonists, Harvey, Jazeman Jaafar and Felix Serralles each took a turn on top of the timesheets this afternoon until Jack put the pole beyond the reach of the others. Harvey’s best time was four-tenths inside Felipe Nasr’s 2011 Donington pole time; they bring Jack’s pole tally for the year to 10.

This afternoon’s race, the grid for which is based on second-best qualifying times, will see Harvey line up ahead of his Carlin team-mate and championship leader Jaafar, with Fortec’s Serralles third on the grid. Tomorrow afternoon it will be Lynn who starts from P2 ahead of Jaafar and Serralles.

In the National class, CF Racing’s Hywel Lloyd was comfortably quicker for CF Racing than his less experienced class rivals. Lloyd, who is making his seasonal debut at the wheel of his family team’s Dallara-Mugen Honda, will start both the first and third Donington races from the class pole.

 

Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series

Provisional qualifying times / Donington Park Grand Prix / 29 September 2012


Leading International class runners

1  Jack HARVEY / GBR,  Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen  1:22.590

2  Alex LYNN / GBR,  Fortec Dallara-Mercedes  1:22.675

3  Jazeman JAAFAR / MAS,  Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen  1:22.680

4  Felix SERRALLES / PUR,  Fortec Dallara-Mercedes  1:22.796

5  Pietro FANTIN / BRA,  Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen  1:22.865

6  Harry TINCKNELL / GBR,  Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen  1:23.024

7  Hannes VAN ASSELDONK / NED,  Fortec Dallara-Mercedes  1:23.082

8  Pipo DERANI / BRA,  Fortec Dallara-Mercedes  1:23.387

9  Nick McBRIDE / AUS,  T-Sport Dallara-Nissan  1:23.658

10  Rupert SVENDSEN-COOK / GBR,  Double R Dallara-Mercedes  1:24.052

11  Geoff UHRHANE / AUS,  Double R Dallara-Mercedes  1:24.053


National class

1  Hywel LLOYD / GBR,  CF Racing Dallara-Mugen Honda  1:24.830

2  Spike GODDARD / AUS,  T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda  1:25.039

3  Pedro Pablo CALBIMONTE / BOL,  T-Sport Dallara-Mugen Honda  1:25.780

4  Duvashen PADAYACHEE / AUS,  Double R Dallara-Mugen Honda  1:26.785

First-race grid Harvey ­ Jaafar ­ Serralles ­ Lynn ­ Fantin ­ van Asseldonk ­ Derani ­ Tincknell ­ McBride ­ Svendsen-Cook ­ Uhrhane ­ Lloyd ­ Goddard ­ Calbimonte -- Padayachee
 

Image by Jakob Ebrey  Jakob Ebrey Photography

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