Jones back on top in National class
Jazeman Jaafar started his return weekend to the Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series in fine style by grabbing pole position for the first of the three races at Brands Hatch GP circuit in a Carlin 1-2-3-4, Ed Jones also returning with an emphatic pole in the National class.
The 30-minute qualifying session at the Kent venue saw a battle staged between Carlin team-mates Jordan King and Jazeman Jaafar, the latter's final two efforts enough to take the top spot with a time of 1:18.134 that oveturned King who had led for much of the session. King had set the benchmark during the opening minutes, his time standing at the top of proceedings for the first half of the session before drivers geared up for one final run.Nicholas Latifi was the Carlin driver closest to King at the halfway stage, but the Canadian slipped to third as Jaafar began to show the form that saw him finish runner-up last season, moving from third up to first in two laps.King - who lies second in the championship - had to settle for a front row slot ahead of Latifi and Jann Mardenborough, the Welsh driver leaping up to fourth to make it a Carlin sweep of the top four places, Antonio Giovinazzi finishing fifth ahead of the Fortec cars of Felipe Guimaraes and championship leader Will Buller.
Buller, the Championship leader by 21 points heading into the round, could only manage seventh place on the grid and 1.090s off the pace; Double R's Sean Gelael and Tatiana Calderon next up ahead of National class pole-sitter Jones.The West-Tec driver started the session quietly, but his name was soon at the head of the National class field, beating class points leader Sun Zheng comfortably by 0.851s, while Cameron Twynham dropped down the third place in the dying tages of the session, Chris Vlok tailing the field.
Race one will get underway at 14:55 later today.Leading International class runners:1 Jazeman JAAFAR / MAL, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1:18.1342 Jordan KING / GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1:18.2923 Nicholas LATIFI / CDN, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1:18.5004 Jann MARDENBOROUGH / GBR, Carlin Dallara-Volkswagen 1:18.7115 Antonio GIOVINAZZI / ITA, Double R Racing Dallara-HWA Mercedes 1:18.8476 Felipe GUIMARAES / BRA, Fortec Dallara-HWA Mercedes 1:19.0417 Will BULLER / BGR, Fortec Dallara-HWA Mercedes 1:19.224National class:1 Ed JONES / GBR, Team West-Tec Dallara-Toyota 1:20.6272 Sun ZHENG / CHI, CF Racing Dallara-NBE 1:20.4783 Cameron TWYNHAM / GBR, Team West-Tec Dallara-Toyota 1:21.984Race three grid: Jaafar - King - Latifi - Mardenborough - Giovinazzi - Guimaraes - Buller - Gelael - Calderon - Jones
Click here for the Official Double R Racing web site - designed and built by Racecar
