First pole for Junqueira

'Things were pretty hard,' said the Petrobras Junior driver, 'because you only got one good lap, maybe two at most, out of the tyres.

'You had to time things absolutely right and today makes up for the near misses we have had in the first few races. I always knew I could do it and I hope this marks the start of some better luck.'

Series leader Nick Heidfeld joins Junqueira on the front row - and the West Lola driver said he was quite happy only to be second.

'My main championship rivals have been off the pace,' he said, 'and things look quite good from where I'm sitting.

'I didn't have my brakes properly sorted so I'm pleased with the way things have turned out.'

The WRT team may have lost its Fina sponsorship, but it has gained a great deal of performance, as Czech Tomas Enge demonstrated.

He qualified on the second row, four places ahead of former team-mate David Saelens, who has taken his Fina backing to the Super Nova team.

It was a tough day for British drivers. Kevin McGarrity (Nordic) qualified on the eighth row and Justin Wilson (Astromega) scraped in right at the back.

European Edenbridge drivers Oliver Gavin and Jamie Davies failed to qualify, however, and the team is expected to be restructured in the coming weeks.

'We just couldn't get a balance,' said Davies. 'The car was oversteering everywhere.'