Photo: WTCC Media

Tarquini on pole in rain shuffled qualifying

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Gabriele Tarquini’s challenge to leave Oschersleben as championship leader has been put on track as he takes pole position ahead of independent driver Marin Colak – as rivals Augusto Farfus and Yvan Muller will start ninth and 17th.

As the qualifying session got underway, the rain cloud hovering above the circuit simultaneously let go during the first qualifying heat.

As drivers rushed out to set times it was actually those who stayed out for a few laps to warm their tyres that benefited, as the rain shower got worse and led to a number of top challengers faiingl to get into the top 10 for the second qualifying segment.

Key runners out in the first segment include three time WTCC champion Andy Priaulx, who qualified 15th for BMW Team UK and reigning champion, and championship leader Yvan Muller’s SEAT, who will start 17th.

A number of surprises got into the top 10 – most notably the indepentently entered SEAT Léon of Marin Colak, and the Lada Priora of Jaap Van Lagen. BMW looked strongest going into the second session, with both Schnitzer drivers Augusto Farfus and Jorg Muller getting into the final segment, as well as BMW Team Italy-Spain driver Alex Zanardi.

For the final qualifying section the rain had relented, and on a drying track, front wheel drive was what you needed. Although the BMW’s first few runs were competitive, as the circuit dried out it became a race to be the last across the line that we were actually seeing.

For a few seconds, it looked like we could be looking at a shock Lada front-row start, but the two manufacturer backed SEAT drivers Tarquini and Rydell pulled out some quick laps – with Marin Colak’s family run outfit also surprising by taking second in the last moments, securing SEAT a 1-2-3 on the grid (of sorts).

Jaap Van Lagen will start in an incredible fourth place, the best result for Lada in WTCC history. Larini and Huff (who suffered a mechanical problem) will line-up behind, with Tom Coronel’s SEAT delivering his promised top 10 as he’d hoped for earlier. The rear wheel drive BMW’s close out the top 10.

Kirill Ladygin qualified outside of the maximum time allowed and will need to apply for special dispensation (on account of the rain) to get the third Lada onto the grid tomorrow.