Mansell secured top spot on the grid for the Feature race in qualifying on Friday, heading an ultra-competitive field that saw the top four covered by 0.056s.
The 19-year-old started 12th in the reverse grid Sprint race, improving one spot in an encounter he confessed he’d use as something of a test session ahead of today’s race.
Armed with that information, he’s confident of converting pole position into victory.
“I’ve always been quite strong in the long runs with ART,” he explained when asked by Speedcafe about his long run pace.
“Bahrain from what we saw, I was able to pass a few people and hold station with Luke [Browning], and still have the same pace as him.
“In Monaco, obviously race pace with Gabrielle [Mini], was fighting with him and then made the mature decision to back off.
Secure your spot today.
“So as far as race pace does, it’s no issue for me.
“If I do end up winning, I’ll be over the moon.”
While victory in Spain would be his first in Formula 3, Mansell is no stranger to running towards the front.
He was second in Monaco after starting off the front row and was second in Bahrain.
Mansell sits ninth in the championship midway through the fifth round of the season.
Second in Monaco Feature race snapped a short run a disappointing results, where he was out of the points in Imola before being taken out in the Sprint on the streets of the Principality.
The Spanish event marks the start of a busy run for F3, which joins F1 in Austria and then Silverstone in the coming two weekends.
There’s then just a single week off before back-to-back weekends in Hungary and Belgium ahead of F1’s summer break.
Pole at the start of that run is a boost for Mansell, but the Novocastrian insists he is taking it as it comes.
“If you’re out there leading the championship, in all fairness, I would say that you do get quite a good boost of momentum from this,” he began.
“I’m definitely feeling very confident within myself, you would be silly not to, but at the end of the day, you just have to maximise your own package.”
The Formula 3 Feature race begins at 10:05 local time in Spain (18:05 AEST).
Discussion about this post