AUGUST 11, 2002

Renault in charge at Zandvoort

Renault-powered teams dominated the qualifying for the Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort yesterday with pole position going to Brazil's Fabio Carbone in his Fortec Dallara-Renault, the fastest qualifier in the even-numbered session. Sharing the front row of the grid is France's Olivier Pla in his ASM Dallara-Renault, the fastest of the drivers in the damp odd-numbered session.

Lining up behind are ASM's second driver Tristan Gommendy and Fortec's Heikki Kovalainen with the third row featuring the best non-Renault Manor Motorsport's Ronnie Bremer from Denmark in his Dallara-Honda and local hero Robert Doornbos, who races in the German F3 series with a Team Ghinzani Dallara-Honda.

The top 10 is completed by Stefan de Groot in his JB Motorsport Dallara-Opel, Bruno Besson in one of Serge Saulnier's Dallara-Renaults, Kousuke Matsuura (Prema Powerteam Dallara-Opel) and Vitantonio Liuzzi (Opel Team BSR Dallara-Opel).

The pre-race favourite James Courtney is only 12th in his Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Honda, while other highly-rated racers such as Renaud Derlot, Frank Diefenbacher, Ryan Briscoe and Derek Hayes are all going to struggle to make a big impression from further back on the grid.