F3 Imola: Maloney leads Trident 1-2 for first series pole

Formula Regional European by Alpine graduate Maloney, who narrowly missed out on a debut F3 podium in Bahrain with fourth in the sprint race, set a 1m41.180s lap to take his first series pole for Sunday’s race.

Czech driver Stanek was just 0.107s behind the 2019 British Formula 4 champion in second, with Prema’s Jak Crawford the best non-Trident driver in third.

Crawford's teammate Ollie Bearman took fifth, just behind ART Grand Prix’s Gregoire Saucy, while Arthur Leclerc’s qualifying was ended prematurely after contact with Enzo Trulli to leave the third Prema driver down in 21st position.

Ido Cohen (Jenzer Motorsport) was first to set a first lap, putting in a 1m48.717s, before Zak O’Sullivan took the top spot for Carlin with a 1m45.134s to lead the first round of running.

Hitech's Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar was first to break the 1m45s mark, topping the timesheets with a 1m44.383s, while championship leader Victor Martins (ART) slotted in to second on his first attempt at a fast lap less than two tenths behind.

Alpine junior Caio Collet (MP Motorsport) was next to go fastest, setting a 1m44.299s as the times tumbled.

With 10 minutes remaining, Leclerc went quickest with a 1m43.904s, prompting much of the field to dive into the pits before the final runs.

Trulli was the only driver to swap to the medium slick compound as the track surface remained slippery, but was unable to reap the rewards of his risk at the track where his father Jarno finished fifth three times in Formula 1.

Leclerc improved on his earlier time to set a 1m43.619s, with fellow second-year driver Martins just 0.001s behind him in second.

Despite encountering traffic, Stanek then snatched the top spot with just over five minutes remaining, setting a 1m43.162s.

Leclerc’s qualifying session was ended after contact with Trulli at Turn 17 in an incident which will be investigated after the session, while a stellar effort from Hadjar was also disrupted by the ensuing red flag.

As drivers returned to the track after the interruption, a flurry of fast laps rejigged the order, with Cohen, Hadjar and Saucy each taking turns at the top of the times.

Stanek had been set to start at the front before Maloney’s last-minute effort secured the Barbadian his first series pole.

Bahrain feature race polesitter Franco Colapinto will start on pole for Saturday’s reverse-grid sprint race, having qualified 12th, with Cohen and Kush Maini (MP Motorsport) in second and third respectively.

Third Trident driver Oliver Rasmussen, who replaces Jonny Edgar after the Briton's diagnosis with Crohn's Disease, will start 14th.

DTM-bound David Schumacher (Charouz Racing System) was slowest on his F3 return in place of Ayrton Simmons.

Only 29 cars are present at Imola, with injured Juan Manuel Correa's seat at ART left vacant.