GP2: Vandoorne earns pole at Spa-Francochamps

After a rather calm practice session, the qualifying began 15:55 local time with a tight formation driving. Stoffel Vandoorne was leading the pack, but Sergio Canamasas set the time of 2:17.502 to get to the provisional pole. Vandoorne returned to the lead with 1:56.518 and was followed by Mitch Evans and Nobuharu Matsushita. Oliver Rowland pushed Evans to third by doing 1:56.937.

Halfway into the race, no significant time improvements were made, but with ten minutes to go, Vandoorne brushed two tenths of his time in a fantastic run, doing 1:56.278. In the final three minutes, Sirotkin, Rossi and Matsushita improved, as well as Jordan King who went up to third. However, Oliver Rowland reclaimed the second place from Sirotkin, and Mitch Evans squeezed in between Matsushita and Rossi who were dropped to fifth and seventh. Nobody could top Vandoorne’s time of 1:56.278 and he will start from the front row tomorrow. Belgian was followed by Rowland, Sirotkin, King and Matsushita in top five. Mitch Evans, Gasly and Rossi were in top eight, followed by Alex Lynn and Norman Nato.