The SJM Theodore Prema Racing driver seemed to have done enough on a new tyre run with 10 minutes to go when he delivered a lap of 2m16.132 seconds before a red flag was brought out for Hiyu Yamakoshi crashing at Lisboa Bend.

On the restart though, Enzo Deligny, driving for last year’s winners R-ace GP, made the most of being at the head of the field as he lowered the pole position time to 2m16.016s, seconds before another red flag came out for Trident’s Reza Seewooruthun who had crashed at Paiol.

That left just five minutes on the clock for a restart, which effectively meant most drivers would only get one flying lap in before the chequered flag.

Deligny was at the front of the train again but made a mistake on his first flying lap, so did not improve. However, he was lucky enough to get across the line for a second effort but had to abort after Kiyoshi Umegaki crashed into the barriers at Dona Maria Bend bringing out a final red flag.

Before then, though, Slater had found space on track and produced a best effort of 2m15.708s to knock Deligny off the top and secure provisional pole position ahead of Friday’s final qualifying. Mari Boya ended up third, with Théophile Naël fourth and Matteo de Palo fifth.

Speaking about that final run, Slater said: “There were about seven of us all in a train, and I knew I had to deliver on the last lap. I tried to get my tyres in the best window possible and just try and take some calculated risk.”