Photo: WTCC

Norbert Michelisz takes Suzuka pole position

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Norbert Michelisz claimed pole position at Suzuka with 52.886, beating Alex MacDowall in second position with 0.125 seconds. Tom Chilton completed the top three positions for RML with his best lap time being two tenths slower than Honda driver Michelisz.

Yvan Muller, who topped the final practice session, was fourth fastest ahead of Bamboo-engineering driver James Nash and Tiago Monteiro, who was fastest in the first practice session.

Pepe Oriola claimed seventh ahead of Honda driver Gabriele Tarquini in eighth who is going to have a tough time to try and maintain his title hopes in the races.

Top BMW drivers Tom Coronel and Mehdi Bennani rounded off the top ten.