Qualifying: Sato storms to pole

The Japanese set the fastest time overall during the morning session, despite a spectacular off at the mega-speed Scheivlak corner during which his Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen Honda made light contact with the barrier.

Even so, Sato ended the session 0.6 seconds quicker than anyone else, despite only using one new set of tyres compared to his rivals' two.

"I was going quicker little by little," he said, "and then I thought 'OK - now it's time to do a little more before I pit for my second set of tyres'. I took a wider entry line to Scheivlak, but it was too wide! I kicked up dust and marbles and once I'd lost the back end I couldn't do anything. It's a shame for me because I didn't do a big lap, but it was enough for pole and I've saved my tyres."

The Carlin boys wheeled out Sato's second set just in time for him to do a lap at the end of the afternoon which left him fastest by 0.23s in the afternoon session.

By this time, the surprising Bruce Jouanny had leapt to second in the group (0.54s slower than Sato's morning time) thanks to a great performance in his Promatecme Dallara. The Frenchman had spun off at the beginning of the morning session after just two laps, so effectively had all his sets of tyres to use in the afternoon.

That pushed Andre Lotterer down to third in the group, ahead of German championship leader Toshihiro Kaneishi.

In the other group, Japanese series leader Benoit Treluyer was quickest and will therefore line up alongside Sato on the front row of the alternating grid.

The Frenchman, returning to the Signature team for which he raced in France two years ago, was 0.11s slower than Sato in heading the odd-numbered runners, and leads Portuguese Tiago Monteiro.

Ryo Fukuda and Gianmaria Bruni both improved in the afternoon session to go third and fourth, Bruni feeling that the Fortec team had made a mistake in breaking with the general consensus by giving him only one new set of new tyres for the morning's qualifying.

Renault engines dominated this group, with the top four all powered by the Sodemo-tuned motors, although Treluyer is using the older Laguna unit compared to the other three, who all have the 2001-spec Megane.

The improvements from Fukuda and Bruni left a disappointed Anthony Davidson in fifth, the Briton gutted that a much quicker lap was ruined when Fukuda spun off in front of him.

The race to even make the grid was just as dramatic, British series runners Jamie Spence and Alex Gurney both getting bumped from the field during the afternoon session.

Takuma Sato (Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 1m33.677s
2 Bruce Jouanny (Promatecme Dallara-Mugen) 1m34.216s
Andre Lotterer (Jaguar Racing Dallara-Mugen) 1m34.265s
Toshihiro Kaneishi (Bertram Schafer Racing Dallara-Opel) 1m34.321s
Tom van Bavel (JB Motorsport Dallara-Opel) 1m34.391s
Nicolas Kiesa (GM Motorsport Dallara-Toyota) 1m34.404s
Derek Hayes (Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 1m34.516s
Tristan Gommendy (ASM Dallara-Renault) 1m34.562s
Andy Priaulx (Alan Docking Racing Dallara-Mugen) 1m34.620s
Mathieu Zangarelli (Signature Dallara-Renault) 1m34.731s


Benoit Treluyer (Signature Dallara-Renault) 1m33.785s
Tiago Monteiro (ASM Dallara-Renault) 1m34.034s
Ryo Fukuda (Saulnier Racing Dallara-Renault) 1m34.211s
Gianmaria Bruni (Fortec Dallara-Renault) 1m34.248s
Anthony Davidson (Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 1m34.282s
Tony Schmidt (GM Motorsport Dallara-Toyota) 1m34.290s
Mark Taylor (Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 1m34.394s
Joao de Oliveira (Swiss Racing Team Dallara-Opel) 1m34.428s
Matt Davies (Team Avanti Dallara-Opel) 1m34.504s
Nicolas Stelandre (JB Motorsport Dallara-Opel) 1m34.689s