Gabriel Bortoleto earned pole position in an action-packed Imola Qualifying, a session impacted by track limits violations. The Invicta Racing driver completed a lap of 1:27.056 to take top spot ahead of PREMA Racing’s Oliver Bearman and Campos Racing’s Isack Hadjar.
With tyre preparation done, the early times started to filter through, and it was Bortoleto that led the way thanks to a lap of 1:28.044 edging out Hadjar by just 0.026s.
The Invicta Racing driver then lowered the time to beat on his next flying effort, completing a 1:27.739 on this occasion. Also improving was Zane Maloney, with the Rodin Motorsport driver moving up to second, albeit 0.271s off the leading time.
After returning to the pitlane for a new set of the Pirelli Supersoft tyres, the drivers returned to the track with 12 minutes left and this time it was Bearman who rocketed to the top of the timesheets.
The PREMA driver’s 1:27.111 put him on top briefly pushing his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli down to second. Hadjar split the pair moments later as he went back up to P2.
But then came Bortoleto on his final flying lap, and the Invicta rookie set a time of 1:27.056 to snatch pole position.
Bearman and Antonelli did have their final laps provisionally deleted for exceeding track limits, although the Stewards reinstated their times, along with several others, following the conclusion of the session.
Joshua Duerksen put together a strong session to take P5 for AIX Racing ahead of Championship leader Maloney. Roman Stanek finished P7 for Trident, ahead of Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Paul Aron in eighth.
MP Motorsport’s Franco Colapinto qualified ninth ahead of the second Hitech car of Amaury Cordeel, meaning that the Belgian driver will start from reverse grid pole in tomorrow’s Sprint.
The drivers will now debrief and return again for the Imola Sprint Race, which is set to get underway at 14:15 local time tomorrow.
