Alain Menu stops Huff’s run of pole positions after error

Alain Menu has taken his first pole position since Brands Hatch 2009 at the Hungaroring, after a strategic error from Chevrolet means Rob Huff will start 12th in both of tomorrow’s races.

With it now being vital to get into the top ten in qualifying, with a few minutes to spare Huff managed to get into the all important ninth place, but late improvements from Norbert Michelisz, Darryl O’Young and Kristian Poulsen knocked the championship leader down to 12th position.

With only the top ten drivers going into Q2, and the grid for race two now set based on the Q1 result, this means the British driver will start 12th for both races.

Javier Villa was fastest in Q1, and a great lap in Q2 saw the young Spaniard sitting in second place up until a last flyer from Yvan Muller saw the best possible recovery for Chevrolet with a 1-2. Villa will start as the top qualifying independent in third, and the fastest of the BMWs, with Tom Coronel and Norbert Michelisz behind for race one.

Robert Dahlgren qualified a season’s best sixth in the Volvo C30, with Tiago Monteiro behind him in the fastest of the SEAT León TDIs.

Michel Nykjaer was fastest of the new SR León 1.6Ts in 13th place

Villa’s team-mate Mehdi Bennani has provisional pole for race two after setting the tenth fastest time in Q1. The Moroccan driver will start ahead of Alain Menu for the race.