Current championship leader Yvan Muller (1:32.481) claimed his second pole of the year to lead a Chevrolet top three in qualifying today. Muller topped the Q2 session 0.197s ahead of teammates Rob Huff (1:32.678) and Alain Menu (1:32.828).
Colin Turkington (1:32.842) will start tomorrow’s Race 1 in an impressive fourth overall as best of the independents. Norbert Michelisz (1:33.261) qualified first of the rookies in ninth.
Q1 – Qualifying got underway with all but Tim Coronel’s BMW 320si that sat in the garage while his team worked on the car.
Stefano D’Aste had a spin at Clark forcing Colin Turkington to run off in avoidance. Despite having his first run blighted, the Ulsterman posted the seventh quickest time of Q1 to progress into final qualifying.
Tom Coronel made it into the final shootout in eleventh, despite pushing so hard he ran wide at Clark curve on his final run, as the number of cars in Q2 was extended by the Stewards.
Huff lead for the majority of the session but was demoted by teammate Muller in the final minutes.
Muller, Huff, Menu, Gabriele Tarquini, Andy Priaulx, Tiago Monteiro, Turkington, Michelisz, Augusto Farfus, Franz Engstler and Tom Coronel were the drivers going forward into Q2.
Robert Dahlgren’s Volvo failed to advance to Q2, as the Swedish driver posted the 12th best lap, while Brazilian start “Cacá” Bueno qualified 17th in his Chevrolet.
Q2 – Muller had a big sideways moment at the start of the final shootout running wide at Paddock Hill and compromising his first flying lap. He recovered to record the fastest time of the session with his teammates joining him up the front as the chequered flag came out.
Britain’s Rob Huff’s last lap was good enough to secure a front row start for his home race.
Reigning champion Tarquini (1:32.873) qualified fifth ahead of Guernseyman Andy Priaulx (1:32.973). After making it through to final qualifying, Tom Coronel (1:33.176) improved his time and posted the seventh fastest lap. Monteiro (1:33.257) was eighth ahead of Michelisz in his SEAT León TDI. Farfus (1:33.337) posted the tenth quickest time ahead of Franz Engstler (1:35.164) in eleventh overall and second of the independents.
| Pos. | Driver | Car | Q1 time | Q2 time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Y. Muller | Chevrolet Cruze | 1.32.658 | 1.32.481 |
| 02 | R. Huff | Chevrolet Cruze | 1.32.922 | 1.32.678 |
| 03 | A. Menu | Chevrolet Cruze | 1.33.128 | 1.32.828 |
| 04 | C. Turkington | BMW 320si | 1.33.306 | 1.32.842 |
| 05 | G. Tarquini | Seat Leon TDI | 1.33.157 | 1.32.873 |
| 06 | A. Priaulx | BMW 320si | 1.33.239 | 1.32.973 |
| 07 | Tom Coronel | Seat Leon TDI | 1.33.549 | 1.33.176 |
| 08 | T. Monteiro | Seat Leon TDI | 1.33.272 | 1.33.257 |
| 09 | N. Michelisz | Seat Leon TDI | 1.33.441 | 1.33.261 |
| 10 | A. Farfus | BMW 320si | 1.33.448 | 1.33.337 |
| 11 | F. Engstler | BMW 320si | 1.33.454 | 1.35.164 |
| — | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| 12 | R. Dahlgren | Volvo C30 | 1.33.579 | |
| 13 | J. Gene | Seat Leon TDI | 1.33.588 | |
| 14 | F. Barth | Seat Leon TDI | 1.33.803 | |
| 15 | K. Poulsen | BMW 320si | 1.33.803 | |
| 16 | D. O’Young | Chevrolet Lacetti | 1.33.911 | |
| 17 | C. Bueno | Chevrolet Cruze | 1.34.122 | |
| 18 | T. Boardman | Seat Leon | 1.34.409 | |
| 19 | M. Nykjaer | Seat Leon TDI | 1.34.419 | |
| 20 | S. D’Aste | BMW 320si | 1.34.437 | |
| 21 | S. Hernandez | BMW 320si | 1.34.594 | |
| 22 | M. Bennani | BMW 320si | 1.34.722 | |
| 23 | H. Vaulkhard | Chevrolet Lacetti | 1.34.736 | |
| 24 | Tim Coronel | BMW 320si | -.—.--- |