QUALIFYING: Beganovic takes first pole of 2024 season for PREMA Racing

Dino Beganovic claimed pole position for PREMA Racing, setting a 1:46.431 to take the first P1 of the season. The Swede left it until the final moments to leap up the times, pipping Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Luke Browning and teammate Gabriele Minì, who wound up second and third.

After several warm-up laps, Max Esterson hit the front for Jenzer Motorsport, setting a 1:47.573 to lead early on, 0.047s ahead of Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli.

Sami Meguetounif followed in P3 as everyone returned to the pitlane halfway through the session.

The action resumed once again as the field returned to the track with 17 minutes to go.

Mari Boya was next to go quickest overall, setting a 1:47.307 though that was quickly beaten. Fornaroli returned to the top of the timing screens on a 1:47.141. Beganovic went close for PREMA, moving himself up to second 0.060s down on the Italian’s effort.

Meguetounif again leapt up the order to third, with Gabriele Minì getting his first time on the board to go fourth ahead of Boya.

Once again, the field boxed for the final time and were back out for the final flying laps with six minutes remaining.

With less than a minute to go, green and purple sectors began to fly and Christian Mansell put ART Grand Prix to the top with a 1:46.843 for the rest to beat.

Beganovic managed to edge out Browning for provisional pole with Minì ending up third-quickest behind his PREMA Racing teammate and the Briton.

Meguetounif wound up fourth in the end as the highest-placed Trident driver, ahead of teammates Santiago Ramos and Fornaroli.

Tim Tramnitz was seventh-fastest for MP Motorsport ahead of Mansell, Arvid Lindblad and Esterson.

Nikola Tsolov followed in P11 and rounding out the top 12 to earn reverse grid pole for the Sprint Race was Laurens van Hoepen.

The first race of the 2024 season is set for Friday, with the Sprint Race scheduled for 13:15 local time in Sakhir.