Championship contender Reng𝓡er van der Zande stole a march on his rivals today in qualifying for𒆙 round 17 of the 2009 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series at the Algarve circuit in Portugal, the Dutch driver bagging pole position by a margin of more than a tenth.

"That was my best-ever qualifying lap, I think," said the Mercedes-powered Hitech Racing pilot. "𒉰Max Chilton was quick early on in the session and I did not think I could get close to his time - maybe the track was quicker earlier.

"But then 𒁏I got a fantastic tow from [ART's] Roberto Mehr♉i around the whole lap and got the pole."

Chilton will start second, with F3 Euro Series points' leader Jules Bianchi third and quickest of the seve🏅n invitational class drivers.

Daniel Ricciardo meanwhileꦏ posted fourth-best time in his Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Volkswagen, with the other man in the championship title hunt, Austrian Walter Grubmuller, only 13th fastest for Hitech Racing.

The leading National Class runner was T-Sport's Gabriel Dias, the Brazilian two-tenths ahead of his British rival f🌺or the class crown, Daniel McKenzie.

The Litespeed team struck trouble: Victor Correa was unable to take part due to a shortage of driveshafts for his SLC R1, while his team-mate Adil He🥂rmanto suffered a suspected gearbox failure. The team hopes that both cars w🍷ill be repaired in time for tomorrow's races.