Menu on pole as Chevrolet dominate

Rob Huff and Nicola Larini, the latter carrying 50 kilograms of success ballast, took second and third on the grid to complete a remarkable performance for the RML-run team.

SEAT's Gabriele Tarquini had held pole when the session was restarted after a red flag for a final ten-minute shoot out, with the three Chevrolets all leaping to the top of the timesheets within seconds of each other.

Tom Coronel returned to form after failing to score since the opening round of the WTCC at Curitiba in March by putting his GR-Asia SEAT Leon fourth on the grid, ahead of Tarquini and the second best SEAT Sport entry of Yvan Muller.

Defending world champion Andy Priaulx was the best of the BMWs in seventh on the grid ahead of the ROAL-run BMW of Alex Zanardi, fresh from his first podium of the season last time out at Brno.

Jorg Muller ended up ninth for Schnitzer Motorsport despite damaging a wheel in the closing stages of the session. The second Schnitzer car of Augusto Farfus will start only 12th after he has struggled for setup all weekend.

The session was twice red flagged after accidents at the controversial final chicane. The first stoppage came when James Thompson wiped off his front-left wheel after clipping the tyre barrier at the exit - ironically setting a time good enough for tenth on that lap after crossing the finish line with only three wheels on his Alfa Romeo 156.

After just four further minutes, the session was again stopped after local hero and Formula One refugee Tiago Monteiro hit the wall in the middle of the same chicane.

Several drivers also had their first qualifying runs ruined when a full-course yellow was deployed to allow the final chicane to be rebuilt after being demolished by SEAT's Michel Jourdain Jr.

The Mexican's teammate Jordi Gene also hit trouble, damaging his left-front suspension after clipping the wall at Turn 10.

Pos   Driver             Car          Time
 1.   Alain Menu         Chevrolet    2:06.927
 2.   Robert Huff        Chevrolet     + 0.760
 3.   Nicola Larini      Chevrolet     + 0.804
 4.   Tom Coronel        SEAT          + 0.831
 5.   G.Tarquini         SEAT          + 0.915
 6.   Yvan Muller        SEAT          + 1.079
 7.   Andy Priaulx       BMW           + 1.647
 8.   A.Zanardi          BMW           + 1.671
 9.   Jorg Müller        BMW           + 1.788
10.   James Thompson     Alfa Romeo    + 2.012
11.   Roberto Colciago   SEAT          + 2.126
12.   Augusto Farfus     BMW           + 2.512
13.   Stefano D'Aste     BMW           + 2.547
14.   P-Y.Corthals       SEAT          + 2.652
15.   M.Jourdain Jr      SEAT          + 2.725
16.   Felix Porteiro     BMW           + 2.743
17.   Jordi Gene         SEAT          + 2.830
18.   Luca Rangoni       BMW           + 2.928
19.   Emmet O'Brien      SEAT          + 3.860
20.   M.Ceresoli         SEAT          + 4.330
21.   Tiago Monteiro     SEAT          + 4.880
22.   Sergio Hernandez   BMW           + 5.484
23.   O.Tielemans        Alfa Romeo    + 5.994
24.   Miguel Freitas     Alfa Romeo    + 6.620
25.   L.P.Magalhaes      SEAT          + 7.604