2026 | Eurocup-3 | Paul Ricard | Qualifying | Split poles as Pradel and Al Azhari share Friday honours

Karishma Persad05 mins
Pradel tops Q2 at Paul Ricard after Al Azhari’s narrow Q1 pole, as 2026 Eurocup-3 Qualifying delivers ultra-close, high-drama battles
Photo Credit: Hitech | Instagram
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Qualifying delivered high drama on Friday at the 2026 Eurocup-3 round at Circuit Paul Ricard. Drivers fought for grid positions across two intense sessions, and although Keanu Al Azhari controlled the early phase, Gianmarco Pradel ultimately shifted the narrative later in the day.

Qualifying 1: Al Azhari edges a photo finish

The opening Qualifying session unfolded as an intense contest defined by microscopic margins. Having dominated the early Test sessions, Keanu Al Azhari secured pole position with a 1:55.184, yet he faced immediate and sustained pressure from his rivals. Notably, René Lammers came within just 0.004 seconds of displacing him, which highlighted how little separated the front runners. Meanwhile, James Egozi secured third place and remained firmly within striking distance, ensuring a tightly packed leading trio.

Furthermore, the session showcased the growing influence of rookie drivers. Alex Powell delivered an assured performance to claim fourth, while Ean Eyckmans followed closely in fifth, reinforcing MP Motorsport’s competitive strength. In addition, Rafael Perard and Heitor Dall’Agnol ensured that Palou Motorsport maintained a strong presence near the front, thereby confirming the team’s consistency across its line-up.

As the session progressed, drivers continuously improved their lap times, responding to evolving track conditions and increasing grip. Consequently, positions shifted frequently, particularly within the top ten, where even minor gains translated into significant jumps on the timesheets.

However, not every driver found a clean run. Patrick Heuzenroeder, for example, failed to set a representative time, which left him at the bottom of the order and under pressure heading into the second session. Similarly, several midfield runners struggled to break into the leading group despite remaining closely matched.

In the end, Al Azhari’s composure under pressure proved decisive. Nevertheless, the negligible gaps suggested that the advantage remained fragile, leaving the door open for a response in Q2.

2026 Eurocup-3: Paul Ricard: Friday: Qualifying 1: Results

  1. #14 Keanu Al Azhari – Hitech – 1:55.184
  2. #99 René Lammers (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:55.188
  3. #48 James Egozi – Palou Motorsport – 1:55.291
  4. #41 Alex Powell (R) – Griffin Core – 1:55.448
  5. #4 Ean Eyckmans (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:55.461
  6. #33 Rafael Perard (R) – Palou Motorsport – 1:55.625
  7. #27 Heitor Dall’Agnol (R) – Palou Motorsport – 1:55.724
  8. #12 Gianmarco Pradel – MP Motorsport – 1:55.841
  9. #39 Santino Panetta (R) – Hitech – 1:55.999
  10. #8 Alceu Feldmann – MP Motorsport – 1:56.038
  11. #7 Chistopher El Feghali (R) – Drivex – 1:56.052
  12. #10 Enzo Tarnvanichkul – Griffin Core – 1:56.084
  13. #37 Filippo Fiorentino (R) – Drivex – 1:56.099
  14. #9 Thomas Strauven (R) – Griffin Core – 1:56.108
  15. #23 Stefan Bostandjiev – Hitech – 1:56.113
  16. #84 Genaro Trappa (R) – Hitech – 1:56.279
  17. #2 Kacper Sztuka – Tecnicar – 1:56.287
  18. #26 Linus Lundqvist – Double R – 1:56.383
  19. #11 Luca Viisoreanu (R) – TC Racing – 1:56.412
  20. #77 Bart Harrison (R) – Double R – 1:56.473
  21. #91 Lorenzo Campos (R) – Double R – 1:56.704
  22. #22 Andrej Petrovic (R) – Tecnicar – 1:56.787
  23. #44 Rayan Caretti (R) – GRS – 1:57.122
  24. #6 Stylianos Kolovos (R) – Drivex – 1:57.259
  25. #16 Bianca Bustamante – Palou Motorsport – 1:57.514
  26. #70 Andre Rodriguez (R) – GRS – 1:57.547
  27. #3 Edouard Borgna – Drivex – 1:57.675
  28. #31 Renzo Barbuy (R) – TC Racing – 1:58.174
  29. #20 Benjamin Beckley (R) – Tecnicar – 1:58.838
  30. #5 Patrick Heuzenroeder – Griffin Core – No Time

2026 Eurocup-3: Pradel delivers a statement lap

The second Qualifying session shifted the balance of power as Gianmarco Pradel produced a commanding response. He set a 1:54.902, the fastest lap of the day, and immediately moved the benchmark beyond reach for his rivals. In doing so, he not only secured pole position for the second race but also disrupted the momentum that Keanu Al Azhari had built earlier.

From the outset, drivers pushed harder, recognising that track evolution offered improved conditions. As a result, lap times dropped across the board, and the competition intensified further. Nevertheless, Pradel maintained control, delivering a lap that combined precision and consistency. Behind him, Ean Eyckmans continued his strong form and secured second place, while Alex Powell reinforced his growing reputation with another top-three finish.

Meanwhile, James Egozi and René Lammers remained firmly in contention, completing a closely grouped top five. Thus, their consistent presence across both sessions emphasised the competitive balance among the leading teams. However, Al Azhari slipped to sixth, which demonstrated how quickly the order could change despite minimal time differences.

Elsewhere, several drivers made notable improvements. Patrick Heuzenroeder rebounded effectively from his earlier setback, while midfield runners continued to close the gaps. Consequently, the entire field appeared more tightly compressed than before.

Ultimately, Pradel’s performance redefined the narrative of the day. While Al Azhari had controlled the opening phase, Pradel seized the initiative when it mattered most, ensuring that the fight for victory remains finely poised.

2026 Eurocup-3: Paul Ricard: Friday: Qualifying 2: Results

  1. #12 Gianmarco Pradel – MP Motorsport – 1:54.902
  2. #4 Ean Eyckmans (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:55.194
  3. #41 Alex Powell (R) – Griffin Core – 1:55.316
  4. #48 James Egozi – Palou Motorsport – 1:55.441
  5. #99 René Lammers (R) – MP Motorsport – 1:55.533
  6. #14 Keanu Al Azhari – Hitech – 1:55.618
  7. #39 Santino Panetta (R) – Hitech – 1:55.775
  8. #10 Enzo Tarnvanichkul – Griffin Core – 1:55.860
  9. #9 Thomas Strauven (R) – Griffin Core – 1:55.914
  10. #37 Filippo Fiorentino (R) – Drivex – 1:55.915
  11. #23 Stefan Bostandjiev – Hitech – 1:55.957
  12. #84 Genaro Trappa (R) – Hitech – 1:55.999
  13. #2 Kacper Sztuka – Tecnicar – 1:56.007
  14. #7 Chistopher El Feghali (R) – Drivex – 1:56.040
  15. #5 Patrick Heuzenroeder – Griffin Core – 1:56.046
  16. #27 Heitor Dall’Agnol (R) – Palou Motorsport – 1:56.069
  17. #11 Luca Viisoreanu (R) – TC Racing – 1:56.093
  18. #8 Alceu Feldmann – MP Motorsport – 1:56.242
  19. #22 Andrej Petrovic (R) – Tecnicar – 1:56.263
  20. #77 Bart Harrison (R) – Double R – 1:56.393
  21. #26 Linus Lundqvist – Double R – 1:56.412
  22. #91 Lorenzo Campos (R) – Double R – 1:56.808
  23. #70 Andre Rodriguez (R) – GRS – 1:56.913
  24. #44 Rayan Caretti (R) – GRS – 1:57.087
  25. #3 Edouard Borgna – Drivex – 1:57.269
  26. #6 Stylianos Kolovos (R) – Drivex – 1:57.272
  27. #16 Bianca Bustamante – Palou Motorsport – 1:57.439
  28. #31 Renzo Barbuy (R) – TC Racing – 1:58.224
  29. #20 Benjamin Beckley (R) – Tecnicar – 1:58.240
  30. #33 Rafael Perard (R) – Palou Motorsport – 2:05.395

Notes

Alex Powell received a five-place grid drop for failing to slow down sufficiently under yellow flag conditions. This was applied to Race 2. As a result, he will start Race 2 from P8 despite having qualified in P3.

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