Mercedes Formula 1 protégé and 2017 champion George Russell has claimed his fourth pole of the year in GP3 qualifying at Abu Dhabi.
Russell dipped into the 1m54s bracket with a time of 1m54.751s to deny Arden’s Leonardo Pulcini a maiden pole position.
The session started just 40 minutes after Russell’s first practice session with Force India in F1 ended.
This pole means that ART has become the first team to claim every one in a GP3 season and has extended its run of fastest qualifying times to 16 events.
Pulcini is set to start on the front of the grid above Red Bull junior Niko Kari who followed up his practice-topping pace for third.
Dan Ticktum threatened throughout and led most of the session but could not keep up with the evolving times, eventually settling for fourth. This means that DAMS’ period in the series ends with one pole position from 17 races.
Haas development driver Arjun Maini was fifth above Honda junior Nirei Fukuzumi.
Fukuzumi is battling for the runners-up spot in the drivers’ championship, starting six points behind team-mate and Renault-backed Jack Aitken, who is expected to start just 15th.
Dorian Boccolacci is set to start on the front of the fourth row alongside Campos’ Raoul Hyman.
Anthoine Hubert and Alessio Lorandi completed the top 10.
Sauber development racer Tatiana Calderon was 13th, while Ferrari academy driver Giuliano Alesi placed 16th.
