Renault protege and GP3 race winner Jack Aitken claimed a shock pole position for his maiden Formula V8 3.5 race at Jerez.

Aitken is contesting the final two rounds of the series with RP Motorsport, with which he has also raced in the EuroFormula Open Championship this year.

After topping practice on Friday afternoon, the Briton secured pole for the opening Jerez race with a time of 1m26.978s.

“That was unexpected,” he admitted. “I did drive the Formula Renault 3.5 car during the rookie test last year and in winter testing, as I was considering this championship, but we didn’t get too deep into it.

“However, I know the team, I know the circuit and I sort of know the car.

“If I get away cleanly in the race today we should be on for a good result, as it is so difficult to overtake here.”

SMP Racing pair Matevos Isaakyan and Matthieu Vaxiviere claimed second and third spots on the grid, Isaakyan 0.197 seconds shy of Aitken and Vaxiviere 0.633s adrift.

Aitken’s fellow Renault Academy junior Louis Deletraz was fourth fastest, ahead of the pacesetter in first practice on Friday, Egor Orudzhev, and Yu Kanamaru.

Leading Deletraz by 11 points in the championship, AVF’s Tom Dillmann will start seventh.

Orudzhev’s Arden teammate Aurelien Panis qualified ninth as he continues his recovery from a back injury sustained at Monza earlier this month.

British F3 race winner Thomas Randle qualified 15th on his Formula V8 3.5 debut with the returning Comtec outfit.

RACE ONE QUALIFYING RESULTS: