Flying lap in one attempt in Q3 gave Felipe Lapenna the first pole position of the 2022 Stock Car season. César Ramos starts next to him. Felipe Fraga surprises and leaves in fourth
Felipe Lapenna surprised with a single attempt and will start from the pole-position of the Interlagos round of Stock Car racing. In the qualifying practice held this Saturday (30), the pilot from Hot Car Competitions recorded 1min39s633 and was the fastest of the weekend.
Beside him, César Ramos starts second. The Ipiranga Racing pilot posted a time of 1min39s895 and could not beat the pole-position. On the second row are Matías Rossi and Felipe Fraga. Rounding out the top six are Diego Nunes and Felipe Baptista.
Stock Car will hold race 1 on Sunday (31st), starting at 1:10 pm, while race 2 will start at 1:45 pm (both times in Brasilia).GRANDE PRÊMIO will follow all the activities at Interlagos.
Find out how the Stock Car standings went at Interlagos:
Q1 - Rossi takes flying lap. Fraga surprises. Barrichello and Nelsinho are out
The qualifying session started with a temperature of 12ºC at Interlagos, 27ºC at the São Paulo circuit, and no rain was forecast for the session. Thus, the first group of drivers took to the track. Rubens Barrichello, Thiago Camilo, Gabriel Casagrande, and Nelsinho Piquet were some of those who opened the practice session.
Piquet opened the session with a time of 1min43s370, soon overtaken by Ricardo Maurício, with 1min41s934. Matías Rossi was fast and posted a 1min39s690, under 1min40s. Rubens Barrichello didn't set a great lap, only with 1min41s047 on his first attempt. Ricardo Zonta didn't do a great time either, clocking 1min41s098.
Next, it was the turn of the second group to come in for their fast lap attempts. Felipe Massa, Tony Kanaan, Felipe Fraga, and rookie Andi Jakos took to the track. Fraga clocked 1min40s852, while Rodrigo Baptista came in at 1min40s530. Massa did a great time, with 1min40s323
Further ahead, Felipe Lapenna also set a great lap, fitting into third position, with 1min40s134. Kanaan could not say the same, with 1min40s600. Marcos Gomes moved up to sixth, with 1min40s130. Argent leads this Q1 at the end of the session.
They advance to Q2: Matías Rossi, Felipe Fraga, César Ramos, Rodrigo Baptista, Felipe Baptista, Marcos Gomes, Felipe Lapenna, Bruno Baptista, Pedro Cardoso, Gabriel Casagrande, Diego Nunes, Denis Navarro, Felipe Massa, Allam Khodair, and Guilherme Salas.
Q2 - A. Mattheis Vogel tries team play, but without success. Casagrande and Massa out of Q3
Q2 begins with the Interlagos track evolving as the drivers do their fast laps. Rodrigo Baptista was the first to enter, clocking 1min42s049
Only eight minutes to set a time. Rossi pulled Casagrande, after all, the Interlagos track has room for a vacuum. Ramos was the first to improve his lap, with 1min39s905, with Lapenna, Nunes, Massa, and Rossi closing the first five.
Casagrande tried a good lap, with 1min40s353, but it wasn't possible. Seventh place for him. Rossi advanced, with 1min40s173. Marcos Gomes and Felipe Massa, however, were left behind.
They advanced to Q3: César Ramos, Felipe Fraga, Felipe Lapenna, Diego Nunes, Matías Rossi, and Felipe Baptista.
Q3 - Lapenna flies in a single attempt and seals the pole position in Interlagos
Open pit, last chance. There are only two attempts to win the pole at Interlagos. Ramos pulled the line, with Rossi and Fraga right behind. They are the main favorites to be number 1 in Sunday's race (31st).
Lapenna set the best time on the first attempt, with 1min39s633, the Ipiranga Racing pilot came right behind, with Rossi in third. Nunes, Fraga and Felipe Baptista completed the order.
There was no time for a second attempt and, with this flying lap, Lapenna got his first pole position in the 2022 season and two more points in the championship.