Taito Kato and Tuukka Taponen Take Pole in F3 Spanish GP Double Qualifying

The Formula 3 Spanish GP introduced a new weekend format featuring two qualifying sessions, one Sprint Race, and two Feature Races. The first qualifying session determined the grid for both the Sprint Race and the first Feature Race, while the second qualifying session set the starting order for Sunday's second Feature Race. Drivers competed for pole on a new track where they had previously only conducted in-season testing.

In Qualifying 1, Taito Kato captured pole position after a strong performance. Pedro Clerot finished second, while Tuukka Taponen secured third place. Championship leader Freddie Slater faced technical issues with his TRIDENT car and opted to pit for a tyre change. Despite giving his all and setting a purple first sector, Slater struggled in the remaining sectors and ended up in P17. Meanwhile, Brando Badoer touched the wall during his flying lap, leaving him in 20th place and forcing the Rodin team to repair the car ahead of the next session.

Qualifying 2 saw intense competition as drivers pushed for top positions on the evolving track. Slater continued to be hampered by car trouble and had to head into the pits. Clerot fought hard for the top spot but went over the limit and crashed into the barriers in the final sector, just meters away from the finish line. Ultimately, Tuukka Taponen took pole position for the second Feature Race with a time of 1:49.750, narrowly beating title contender Ugo Ugochukwu in second, while Clerot retained third position despite his late crash.