Dino Beganovic achieved pole position for the main Formula 3 race in Sakhir, Bahrain. It is the driver’s absolute debut in pole positions at the age of 20.
In the early stages, Max Esterson (Jenzer Motorsport) took the lead ahead of Leeonardo Fornaroli (Trident), with Sami Meguetounif (Trident) in third. This classification was roughly halfway through qualifying.
In the final 17 minutes, Mari Boya (Campos) briefly became the new leader before being overtaken by Fornaroli. Beganovic (Prema) came close, and Meguetounif and Gabriele Mini (Prema) also joined the fight for the top positions.
In the last minute, Christian Mansell (ART Grand Prix) set a time that put him in first place. But other drivers had different plans, including Beganovic who, in a final effort, completed a lap in 1m46.431s to secure pole position. Luke Browning (Hitech Pulse-Eight) was the closest to beating him, just 0.167s behind – only three thousandths faster than Mini. Meguetounif and Santiago Ramos (Trident) completed the top five.
Mansell ended up in eighth place. Further down, Laurens van Hoepen (ART Grand Prix) secured the 12th position, which gives him pole position for tomorrow’s race thanks to the inversion of the top 12 from qualifying to determine the starting grid.
Results:
