Roman Stanek claimed pole position for Sunday’s Feature Race in Friday’s scorching hot Catalunya FIA F3 qualifying. The Trident driver was one of the only drivers to improve on the final run as he pipped out Victor Martins and Alex Smolyar, with only a tenth separating the top three. The top three spoke to selected media including F1 Feeder Series about the qualifying session. 

By Charlie Parker

It was back to back poles for the Trident team, with Zane Maloney claiming pole back in Imola. Stanek qualified just behind in second that session as well as being the highest Trident qualifier in Bahrain, starting second there as well. Stanek managed to do one better this time out in what could be a crucial year for the Czech: “I’m really happy that we are managing to be consistent. In Bahrain we were second, second in Imola and finally pole here in Barcelona. It is key to have a good qualifying in this particular championship because it’s half of the job for the weekend.

“It feels very good [to get pole] after two years of hard work, we finally did it. This is just the beginning, the job is not done. We score points tomorrow and Sunday. I am happy for this but I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

Focus

From an outside perspective, the drama of the session came near the end when everyone was jockeying for track position causing absolute pandemonium. But for Stanek, the drama came closer to the start: “On my first set I went out so I didn’t have a time. I was a bit nervous. On the second set I had to find the limit because I didn’t do the first set. I was not driving very well by myself. But then in the third set we managed to put everything together and I also had a bit of healthy slipstream which helped me.”

“Since the beginning of the season and also during the tests we were focusing for just one push lap. I think that’s what we have to focus on because, in this category, you have only one push and that’s it. And it feels very good to drive the car in that one push lap.”

Even second placed Martins had high praise for the Trident team: “Trident have been good since the beginning of the season. I don’t know if they have the best package but for sure they make the most out of the qualifying sessions, better than the others.” 

Trident will be looking to improve their luck in the races. Stanek did manage to grab the Feature Race win in Imola but that was helped by an error made by teammate Maloney, spinning out. Of course, there was the unfortunate situation with Jonny Edgar’s illness. But it has been punctures and penalties, including a pit lane start for Maloney this weekend, that has left them trailing ART GP and Prema in the standings.

Header photo credit: Formula Motorsport Ltd