McLaren’s young driver Stoffel Vandoorne set his ART Grand Prix into first position in qualifying session with Arthur Pic’s same time. Izawa, two tenths away, completes a rookie TOP3.
Really close qualifying session the one this morning in Sochi. In a just unveiled semi-urban circuit the russian assistants could amuse a really amazing first qualifying session this weekend.
Last minutes were the most intense. After a long session time drivers were getting prepared for the good lap. Izawa, with a good time in two first sectors, was going for pole time over Palmer, who could not set a good mark because of traffic issues.
Izawa, then, caught the pole place when it seemed that no one could be faster than Evans. But quickly Marciello and Palmer imposed, although after the japanese driver. Vandoorne, in fast lap, was two tenths faster than his team mate and set first time wishing that Pic would not take his position off. And Pic could not just for a thousanth, as he set the strict same time as belgian driver, who catches first place in grid.
Race will take place tomorrow at 4:20 pm local time (GMT +4), after F1 qualifying session.
Results:
| Pos. | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Gap | |
| 1 | 10 | Stoffel Vandoorne (R) | BEL | ART Grand Prix | 13 | 1:45,402 | |
| 2 | 26 | Arhur Pic (R) | FRA | Campos Racing | 11 | 1:45,402 | + 0,000 |
| 3 | 9 | Takuya Izawa (R) | JAP | ART Grand Prix | 12 | 1:45,675 | + 0,273 |
| 4 | 7 | Joylon Palmer | GBR | Dams | 12 | 1:45,685 | + 0,283 |
| 5 | 5 | Raffaele Marciello (R) | ITA | Racing Engineering | 14 | 1:45,772 | + 0,370 |
| 6 | 1 | Mitch Evans | NZ | RT Russian Time | 13 | 1:45,813 | + 0,411 |
| 7 | 27 | Kimiya Sato (R) | JAP | Campos Racing | 13 | 1:46,102 | + 0,700 |
| 8 | 6 | Stefano Coletti | MON | Racing Engineering | 12 | 1:46,120 | + 0,718 |
| 9 | 17 | André Negrao (R) | BRA | Arden International | 13 | 1:46,173 | + 0,771 |
| 10 | 3 | Felipe Nasr | BRA | Carlin | 13 | 1:46,210 | + 0,808 |
| 11 | 19 | Pierre Gasly (R) | FRA | EQ8 Caterham Racing | 14 | 1:46,377 | + 0,975 |
| 12 | 22 | Sergio Canamasas | ESP | Trident | 13 | 1:46,411 | + 1,009 |
| 13 | 24 | Nathanaël Berthon | FRA | Venezuela GP Lazarus | 12 | 1:46,497 | + 1,095 |
| 14 | 11 | Daniel Abt | GER | Hilmer Motorsport | 15 | 1:46,554 | + 1,152 |
| 15 | 18 | Rio Haryanto | IND | EQ8 Caterham Racing | 12 | 1:46,560 | + 1,158 |
| 16 | 21 | Marco Sørensen (R) | DAN | MP Motorsport | 13 | 1:46,628 | + 1,226 |
| 17 | 12 | Jon Lancaster | GBR | Hilmer Motorsport | 13 | 1:46,651 | + 1,249 |
| 18 | 23 | Johnny Cecotto | VEN | Trident | 13 | 1:46,788 | + 1,386 |
| 19 | 4 | Julián Leal | COL | Carlin | 10 | 1:46,995 | + 1,593 |
| 20 | 14 | Adrian Quaife-Hobbs | GBR | Rapax | 13 | 1:47,006 | + 1,604 |
| 21 | 8 | Stéphane Richelmi | MON | Dams | 13 | 1:47,025 | + 1,623 |
| 22 | 16 | Rene Binder | AUT | Arden International | 10 | 1:47,091 | + 1,689 |
| 23 | 2 | Artem Markelov (R) | RUS | RT Russian Time | 13 | 1:47,386 | + 1,984 |
| 24 | 15 | Simon Trummer | CHE | Rapax | 13 | 1:47,550 | + 2,148 |
| 25 | 20 | Daniël de Jong | NED | MP Motorsport | 11 | 1:47,611 | + 2,209 |
| 26 | 25 | Sergio Campana | ITA | Venezuela GP Lazarus | 13 | 1:47,795 | + 2,393 |
