Everything was decided in the very tense final minutes, when practically all 30 Formula 3 drivers entered the track for a flying lap with which to try to improve the initial time achieved in the first part of Spielberg’s qualifying. Luke Browning, first of the group, without a wake, took the first time and therefore the pole in 1’20″222. But the Englishman from the Hitech team is at risk of a penalty for having dangerously hindered Dino Beganovic’s fastest lap at the entrance of the penultimate corner. The Swedish team Prema was clearly hindered and only thanks to his instinct was he able to avoid an accident that could have had serious consequences. Beganovic finished the qualification in fifth place, but he could certainly have been in an even better position.
Browning, second in the championship with 79 points (a victory under his belt in race 2 at Sakhir) against Leonardo Fornaroli’s 84, risk of penalty aside, is on his first pole and would have a good opportunity to leap into the lead of F3 as the from Piacenza of the Trident team, eighth at the flag and checkered stage, had his time taken away due to track limits, certainly not in the last two bends where the gravel was placed, thus falling to a very complicated 24th position. Fornaroli, among other things, was disqualified from the free session (which does not lead to anything being done) because he ran out of fuel at the end of the session. In short, a truly bad day for the Italian.
Noteworthy is the second place of Arvid Lindblad (Prema) who is going through a period of grace after the good weekend in Montmelò which saw him second in qualifying as well as the winner of race 2. Best placing of the season for Tim Tramnitz (MP Motorsport), excellent third ahead of Gabriele Minì, well in fourth position with the second Dallara of the Prema team. Oliver Goethe also did well, sixth ahead of Laurens Van Hoepen and Sebastian Montoya who reached the top 10 for the first time.
It is worth noting the mistakes of Nikita Bedrin and Joseph Loake, a regular visitor to the Austrian gravel between free practice and qualifying. Martinius Stenshorne, 12th, will have the opportunity to start from the pole position in race 1 due to the reversal of the top 12 on the grid. Christian Mansell, poleman at Montmelò, is 11th and will be able to start from the front row in the first race.
Friday 28 June 2024, Qualifying
1 – Luke Browning – Hitech – 1’20″222
2 – Arvid Lindblad – Prema – 1’20″306
3 – Tim Tramnitz – MP Motorsport – 1’20″411
4 – Gabriele Minì – Prema – 1’20″417
5 – Dino Beganovic – Prema – 1’20″424
6 – Oliver Goethe – Campos – 1’20″467
7 – Laurens Van Hoepen – ART – 1’20″517
8 – Sebastian Montoya – Campos – 1’20″548
9 – Alexander Dunne – MP Motorsport – 1’20″563
10 – Nikota Tsolov – ART – 1’20″567
11 – Christian Mansell – ART – 1’20″609
12 – Martinius Stenshorne – Hitech – 1’20″665
13 – Noel Leon – Van Amersfoort – 1’20″680
14 – Nikita Bedrin – PHM – 1’20″865
15 – Santiago Ramos – Trident – 1’20″986
16 – Sami Meguetounif – Trident – 1’20″989
17 – Cian Shields – Hitech – 1’20″998
18 – Max Esterson – Jenzer – 1’21″034
19 – Sophia Floersch – From Amersfoort – 1’21″056
20 – Joshua Dufek – PHM – 1’21″071
21 – Tommy Smith – Van Amersfoort – 1’21″076
22 – Mari Boya – Campos – 1’21″078
23 – Matias Zagazeta – Jenzer – 1’21″131
24 – Leonardo Fornaroli – Trident – 1’21″160
25 – Kacper Sztuka – MP Motorsport – 1’21″299
26 – Charlie Wurz – Jenzer – 1’21″403
27 – Tasanapol Inthrapuvasak – PHM – 1’21″486
28 – Joseph Loake – Rodin – 1’21″675
29 – Callum Voisin – Rodin – 1’21″988
30 – Piotr Wisnicki – Rodin – 1’22″058
