Mitch Evans promoted to front row start at Monaco

Kiwi GP2 driver Mitch Evans is set to lead from the front in tonights feature race in Monaco. Photo / GP2 Media

Kiwi driver Mitch Evans has been promoted to the front row of the Monaco grid for tonight's GP2 Series feature race.

Following the overnight qualifying session in Monte Carlo, four drivers were given a three place grid penalty after it was found t they had impeded another competitor on the track.

Rio Haryanto will lose his front row start because of the blocking penalty. The Indonesian driver impeded Stéphane Richelmi and will therefore start from fifth on the starting grid. Daniel Abt, Facu Regalia and Felipe Nasr were also penalised.

Mitch Evans set the second fastest time during the qualifying. Only GP2 Championship leader Jolyon Palmer bettered the time set by the 19-year-old New Zealander.

Evans was to have started tonight's GP2 feature race from third place; on the inside of the second row of the grid, because the large 26-car field was split into two groups - odd and even race numbers - for qualifying at the 3.3km street circuit in Monte Carlo.

Palmer and Evans set the fastest times for the 13 odd numbered cars but, with the two groups lined up side-by-side on the grid, the outside of the front row starting slot would have gone to Rio Haryanto, who was fastest amongst the 13 even numbered cars.

Each group had just 16 minutes of track time to qualify and Evans timed his run well to set his best time on the final lap.

Evans scored two third place finishes in the GP2 races at Monaco in 2013 after qualifying second fastest.

The 42-lap feature race is scheduled to start at 21.15 tonight (NZ time)on Sky Sport 4.