Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Ninovic continued his outstanding GB3 Championship form with a flawless display at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. The newly crowned champion claimed his ninth and tenth pole positions of the season after topping both Qualifying sessions on Saturday morning. Despite fierce competition, the Australian found speed exactly when it mattered most, showing once again why he has been the class of the 2024 field.
Qualifying 1: Ninovic snatches pole in dramatic late dash
The first Qualifying session proved to be a thrilling battle. For much of the 15 minutes, Xcel Motorsport’s Patrick Heuzenroeder appeared destined for pole with a 1m43.934s. However, red flags interrupted proceedings with five minutes to go following separate incidents — one between August Raber and Jack Sherwood at Variante Della Roggia and another involving Bart Harrison at Ascari.
When the session resumed, Ninovic immediately went on the attack. The Rodin Motorsport driver made perfect use of the clearer track to clock a 1m43.930s, edging Heuzenroeder by just 0.004s in one of the tightest qualifying margins of the year. This effort secured his ninth pole of the campaign and continued his run of front-row starts.
Behind the leading pair, Deagen Fairclough was the biggest improver after the stoppage, vaulting from 10th to third, three tenths off pole. Gianmarco Pradel ensured another strong showing for Rodin Motorsport in fourth, while Hillspeed debutant Maxim Rehm impressed with fifth, even holding P2 briefly before the red flag.
Jack Sherwood achieved his best Qualifying result of the year in sixth, narrowly ahead of teammate Newman Chi in seventh. The Rodin pair of Abbi Pulling and Pradel were again competitive, while Kabir Anurag and Reza Seewooruthun rounded out the top ten. Notably, the top 10 were separated by just 0.813s, showcasing the competitiveness of the field.
Results: Qualifying 1: Monza
- Alex Ninovic, Rodin Motorsport – 1m43.930s
- Patrick Heuzenroeder, Xcel Motorsport – +0.004s
- Deagen Fairclough, Hitech TGR – +0.325s
- Gianmarco Pradel, Rodin Motorsport – +0.440s
- Maxim Rehm, Hillspeed – +0.478s
- Jack Sherwood, Xcel Motorsport – +0.498s
- Newman Chi, Hillspeed – +0.571s
- Abbi Pulling, Rodin Motorsport – +0.594s
- Kabir Anurag, Xcel Motorsport – +0.700s
- Reza Seewooruthun, Argenti with Prema – +0.813s
- Lucas Fluxa, Hillspeed – +1.099s
- Patricio Gonzalez, VRD Racing – +1.130s
- Enzo Tarnvanichkul, VRD Racing – +1.171s
- Flynn Jackes, Elite Motorsport – +1.200s
- August Raber, Argenti with Prema – +1.239s
- Isaac Phelps, Elite Motorsport – +1.245s
- Noah Lisle, JHR Developments – +1.283s
- Kai Daryanani, JHR Developments – +1.412s
- Rodrigo Gonzalez, VRD Racing – +1.882s
- Bart Harrison, JHR Developments – +2.199s
- Bianca Bustamante, Elite Motorsport – +2.898s
- Keanu Al Azhari, Hitech TGR – +3.193s
Raber received a three-place grid penalty for causing a collision with Sherwood in Q1.
Qualifying 2: Champion extends lead with another commanding pole
In the second session, Ninovic extended his dominance. The Australian found an additional half-second of pace, setting a benchmark lap of 1m43.406s to take his tenth pole of the season. This time, the gap was more comfortable—over two tenths clear of his nearest rival—and reflected the confidence of a driver already crowned champion.
JHR Developments’ Noah Lisle bounced back from a disappointing 17th in Q1 to secure second, just 0.235s adrift of Ninovic. Heuzenroeder remained consistently quick in third, only 0.002s behind Lisle. Deagen Fairclough continued his strong form with fourth, while Hillspeed’s Newman Chi impressed again with fifth.
Further back, Reza Seewooruthun improved his Q1 position to take sixth ahead of Gianmarco Pradel, ensuring Rodin once again featured prominently. Hillspeed’s Lucas Fluxa, Rodin’s Abbi Pulling, and Xcel’s Kabir Anurag completed the top ten, all within six tenths of Ninovic’s time. The top fifteen were covered by less than a second, underlining how competitive the field remained around the high-speed Monza circuit.
Results: Qualifying 2: Monza
- Alex Ninovic, Rodin Motorsport – 1m43.406s
- Noah Lisle, JHR Developments – +0.235s
- Patrick Heuzenroeder, Xcel Motorsport – +0.237s
- Deagen Fairclough, Hitech TGR – +0.289s
- Newman Chi, Hillspeed – +0.363s
- Reza Seewooruthun, Argenti with Prema – +0.412s
- Gianmarco Pradel, Rodin Motorsport – +0.422s
- Lucas Fluxa, Hillspeed – +0.546s
- Abbi Pulling, Rodin Motorsport – +0.555s
- Kabir Anurag, Xcel Motorsport – +0.590s
- Enzo Tarnvanichkul, VRD Racing – +0.606s
- Maxim Rehm, Hillspeed – +0.633s
- Isaac Phelps, Elite Motorsport – +0.637s
- Kai Daryanani, JHR Developments – +0.866s
- Patricio Gonzalez, VRD Racing – +0.893s
- August Raber, Argenti with Prema – +1.109s
- Jack Sherwood, Xcel Motorsport – +1.129s
- Rodrigo Gonzalez, VRD Racing – +1.275s
- Flynn Jackes, Elite Motorsport – +1.425s
Bianca Bustamante, Keanu Al Azhari, and Bart Harrison did not participate in Q2.
Ninovic reinforces dominance in Monza Qualifying
As the GB3 Championship weekend at Monza continues, Ninovic once again finds himself at the head of both Race 1 and 2 grids. His clinical precision and ability to deliver under pressure have defined his season, and his Monza double pole reinforces his dominance in 2024. The opening race of the weekend will begin at 14:05 local time (13:05 UK), with the Australian leading the field once more as he aims to close out his title-winning campaign in style.
