Grosjean on pole at Nogaro

The Frenchman called on his local knowledge to eclipse Kamui Kobayashi by 0.061 seconds. Nico Hulkenberg will start on the second row ahead of Manor Motorsport's Dutch driver Yelmer Buurman.

"I know this circuit really well. I have raced here twice in French championships, plus lots of testing," said Grosjean. "I had some problems with yellow flags and stoppages.

"The first time I tried for a quick lap it was yellow, then I had another yellow and then it went red. However, I was in the pits for the second red flag which was good and afterwards everything was fine. Pole is a big advantage. It looks possible to overtake here, but it's impossible."

Setting the early running, Kobayashi was the first driver into the 1:21s, ahead of Barcelona winner Renger van der Zande and Hulkenberg. Van der Zande's glory was short-lived as he dropped back behind Grosjean and Manor's local hero Franck Mailleux a third of the way into the session.

Proceedings were interrupted when Renault development driver and reigning Italian Formula Renault champion Dani Clos found the barriers. "It was tough because we didn't get any real running in the morning and that was my first quick lap on those set of tyres," said Clos.

"Exiting the second right hand corner I made a small mistake. I thought I could control it but I had a slide on the grass and then a big crash, but I'm okay." Clos will start 20th, but is likely to make up places come race day.

There was another red flag with eleven minutes to go, with the order at the top of the timesheets showing Kobayashi leading Buemi by half of a second. Grosjean had disposed of the impressive VW-powered RC Motorsport car of Maxi Goetz and held down third place.

ASM came to the fore on the restart. Hulkenberg moved into second ahead of Buemi before, with five minutes remaining, Grosjean dipped into the 1:20s to take pole position.

Grosjean's title rival Sebastien Buemi qualified fifth, the Swiss Mucke Motorsport driver struggling to remain diplomatic when describing his final set of Kumhos.

Manor's Franck Mailleux, who joins Buemi on the third row, attempted to explain the advantage ASM have at Nogaro. "I haven't seen the split times so I don't know exactly where they are faster, but we have been here for three days of testing whereas ASM have been coming here for years, and Romain also know the circuit well.

"ASM probably know how to react very quickly to changes in condition. Today the track was weird after the French GT (practice laid down) rubber, and tomorrow it will be very hot, they have a better idea how to react to these conditions."

Pos  Driver            Car                 Time
 1.  Romain Grosjean   Dallara-Mercedes    1:20.990
 2.  Kamui Kobayashi   Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.051  + 0.061
 3.  N.Hulkenberg      Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.188  + 0.198
 4.  Yelmer Buurman    Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.530  + 0.540
 5.  Sebastien Buemi   Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.554  + 0.564
 6.  Franck Mailleux   Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.706  + 0.716
 7.  Edoardo Mortara   Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.729  + 0.739
 8.  Maximilian Gotz   Dallara-Volkswagen  1:21.838  + 0.848
 9.  R.van der Zande   Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.852  + 0.862
10.  Jean-Karl Vernay  Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.908  + 0.918
11.  Tom Dillmann      Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.952  + 0.962
12.  Yann Clairay      Dallara-Mercedes    1:21.984  + 0.994
13.  J.Summerton       Dallara-Volkswagen  1:22.110  + 1.120
14.  Filip Salaquarda  Dallara-Mercedes    1:22.144  + 1.154
15.  H.Schlegelmilch   Dallara-Mercedes    1:22.146  + 1.156
16.  James Jakes       Dallara-Mercedes    1:22.155  + 1.165
17.  Euan Hankey       Dallara-Mercedes    1:22.209  + 1.219
18.  Edoardo Piscopo   Dallara-Mercedes    1:22.221  + 1.231
19.  Tim Sandtler      Dallara-Mercedes    1:22.229  + 1.239
20.  Daniel Clos       Dallara-Mercedes    1:22.305  + 1.315
21.  Marco Holzer      Dallara-Volkswagen  1:22.391  + 1.401
22.  Michael Patrizi   Dallara-Mercedes    1:22.751  + 1.761
23.  Cyndie Allemann   Dallara-Mercedes    1:22.768  + 1.778
24.  Basil Shaaban     Dallara-Mercedes    1:23.173  + 2.183
25.  Sergei Afanasiev  Dallara-Mercedes    1:23.482  + 2.492