Race 2 qualifying: Where there's Mucke...

Mucke lapped the Hockenheim GP circuit in 2m07.165s, two-tenths clear of Mucke Motorsport team mate Markus Winkelhock.

Young Finn Kimmi Liimatainen (Team Kolles) upset the applecart by qualifying third, just ahead of Britain's Gary Paffett, who was three-tenths off pole in his Team Rosberg Dallara.

The other man with a chance of taking the title, Liimatainen's team mate Pierre Kaffer was sixth fastest. He will be praying that Diefenbacher and Kaneishi clash over the weekend to haul back the 19 points he trails them by.

Of the joint series leaders, Kaneishi is the better placed in eighth on the grid, but Bertram Schafer Racing team mate Diefenbacher was just 0.036secs slower in ninth. Diefenbacher then threw his car into the barrier exiting the final corner in the closing minutes of the session, but escaped with only minor damage to the rear wing.

The race winners from the German GP support races at Hockenheim, Joao Paulo de Oliveira and Kousuke Matsuura, only qualified seventh and 16th respectively.

Qualifying for Saturday's race is held tomorrow at 11.00 local time (10.00 BST).

Stefan Mucke, Mucke Motorsport Dallara F301-Opel, 2m07.165s
Markus Winkelhock, Mucke Motorsport Dallara F301-Opel, 2m07.442s
Kimmo Liimatainen, Team Kolles Dallara F300-Mugen, 2m07.465s
Gary Paffett, Team Rosberg Dallara F301-Opel, 2m07.482s
Raffaele Giammaria, Cram Competition Dallara F301-Opel, 2m07.694s
Pierre Kaffer, Team Kolles Dallara F300-Mugen, 2m07.829s