Bianchi takes Brands Hatch pole

Masters of F3 victor Jules Bianchi continued his dominant form by taking pole position for Saturday's round 13 of the Formula 3 Euro Series at Brands Hatch.

Run in split qualifying sessions for the first time for the Euro Series, due to Brands Hatch's ultra-short Indy circuit, Bianchi set the fastest time in the first session, for even-numbered cars, which stood as the quickest time overall.

Series leading ART Grand Prix teammate Nico Hulkenberg was fastest in the second session, but his 41.780 was over a tenth slower than Bianchi's 41.668.

Koudai Tsukakoshi will start third for Manor, his lap just 0.002 slower than Hulkenberg's, but even if he'd gone quicker than that he would still have started third due to the split sessions.

Sam Bird carries the flame for Britain with fourth place for Manor Motorsport, ahead of fellow Brit James Jakes (ART) - who was on pole here last year with Manor.

Christian Vietoris will start sixth for Mucke Motorsport, whose regular frontrunner Mika Maki will start 17th after he ran wide at Graham Hill Bend and damaged the underside of his car on the kerbs early on.

Yann Clairay was next up for SG Formula, ahead of former points leader Edoardo Mortara (Signature).

Ninth place starter Niall Breen brought the first session to a premature close when he shunted heavily on the exit of Paddock Hill Bend, swiping the right-hand corners off his Manor car.

Free practice pacesetter Renger van der Zande (Prema) could only manage tenth on the grid, with the third Brit, Jon Lancaster (ART), down in 12th.

Pos Driver Team Car Time 1. Jules Bianchi ART D/M 41.668 2. Nico Hulkenberg ART D/M 41.780 + 0.112 3. Koudai Tsukakoshi Manor D/M 41.782 + 0.114 4. Sam Bird Manor D/M 41.795 + 0.127 5. James Jakes ART D/M 41.899 + 0.231 6. Christian Vietoris Mucke D/M 41.809 + 0.141 7. Yann Clairay SG D/M 41.966 + 0.298 8. Edoardo Mortara Signature D/V 41.856 + 0.188 9. Niall Breen Manor D/M 41.970 + 0.302 10. Renger van der Zande Prema D/M 41.887 + 0.219 11. Franck Mailleux Signature D/V 41.975 + 0.307 12. Jon Lancaster ART D/M 42.029 + 0.361 13. Jean-Karl Vernay Signature D/V 42.036 + 0.368 14. Daniel Clos Prema D/M 42.054 + 0.386 15. Henkie Waldschmidt SG D/M 42.065 + 0.397 16. Kazuya Oshima Manor D/M 42.154 + 0.486 17. Mika Maki Mucke D/M 42.067 + 0.399 18. Stefano Coletti Prema D/M 42.161 + 0.493 19. Rodolfo Gonzalez Carlin D/M 42.091 + 0.423 20. Daniel Campos HBR D/M 42.229 + 0.561 21. Erik Janis Mucke D/M 42.230 + 0.562 22. Cheng Cong Fu RC D/V 42.368 + 0.700 23. Jens Klingmann RC D/V 42.736 + 1.068 24. Richard Philippe Carlin D/M 42.525 + 0.857 25. Martin Plowman RC D/V 42.894 + 1.226 26. Basil Shaaban HBR D/M 42.683 + 1.015