Stanek will start the main Formula 3 race in the Netherlands from the second row, again paying for red flags

In Friday’s Formula 3 qualifying at the Zandvoort circuit, Czech driver Roman Stanek fought for pole position for Sunday’s main race. Before the last attempts, Stanek was in third place behind teammate Zane Malone and his title rival Victor Martins.

However, he failed to finish his last timed attempt. This was because red flags were displayed, caused by Jenzer Motorsport’s William Alatale. He failed to make the entry into turn two and ended up in the barrier.

Just before the red flags were displayed, Jake Crawford of the PREMA team managed to get in front of the Czech driver, who is defending the colours of the Italian Trident stable. Stanek finished fourth with a loss of 0.445 seconds to the winning Zeno Malone from Barbados.

This is the third qualifying round this year in which Stanek was unable to complete his final qualifying lap. First in Austria at the Red Bull Ring, when a red flag was raised two minutes before the end of qualifying due to the stalled car of Zdenek Chovanec of the Czech Charouz Racing System stable.

Then a week ago, when Isack Hadjar, the current leader of the Formula 3 championship, shut down his car after the first corner in Spa, Belgium.

Stanek will start from ninth place for Saturday’s sprint race, where the order of the top 12 drivers from qualifying will be reversed. The sprint race is scheduled for tomorrow at 10::25 a.m. The main race, where more points are on the line, will be started according to the results of qualifying and is scheduled for Sunday at 8::45 a.m.

Roman’s comments on qualifying: ” On my last attempt I was as fast as Maloney until turn eight and then it was just a red flag. There was nothing I could do about it.

If I had finished that lap, I believe it would have been second or third place at worst, but I still think fourth place in qualifying is actually great. Both starting positions are good for picking up points, so I have to put my head down and do the best race I can.”