Jamie Chadwick took pole position with 90 seconds remaining in qualifying, but loses it for crossing the line at the pit exit; Beitske Visser, who was second by just 0.011s assumes pole; Watch the W Series race live on Sky Sports F1 on Saturday at 1.30pm
Friday 22 July 2022 22:04, UK
Jamie Chadwick has been denied a fourth consecutive W Series pole position after being handed a two-place grid penalty after qualifying.
Chadwick, who is leading the championship as she bids for a third straight crown, was adjudged to have crossed the white line of the pit-lane exit in the closing stages of Friday's shootout.
Her demotion hands Beitske Visser a first pole for Saturday's race, live on Sky Sports F1 at 1.30pm
Chadwick posted the fastest lap of 2:02.235 with just over 90 seconds remaining of an intense session.
Visser, Nerea Marti and Marta Garcia had all held provisional pole themselves during the 30-minute session, with Garcia topping the standings after the first set of runs.
Eight-hundredths of a second separated the top four with three minutes to go and, in the end, Visser finished +0.011 behind Chadwick before usurping her thanks to the penalty.
Marti (+0.104) and fellow Spaniard Garcia (+0.124) look set to lock out the second row on Saturday at the Circuit Paul Ricard.
Chadwick, who drops to third on the grid, is aiming for a seventh straight W Series race win. If she does so, she would set up a chance of winning the championship in Hungary next weekend.
Sky Sports F1 is your home for every race this season and here's the full schedule for the French Grand Prix with the W Series Race live from 1.30pm on Saturday.
Saturday, July 23
11.45am: French GP Practice Three (session starts 12pm)
1.30pm: W Series Race
2.35pm: French GP Qualifying Build-up
3pm: French Grand Prix Qualifying
4.55pm: F2 Sprint Race
6pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook
Sunday, July 24
8.30am: F2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: French GP Build-up
2pm: The French Grand Prix
4pm: Chequered Flag: French GP Reaction
5pm: Ted's Notebook
5.30pm: French GP Highlights
