Qualifying: Liuzzi takes maiden pole

Liuzzi shaded fellow Italian Giorgio Pantano (Durango) by 0.471s for his maiden pole, while team-mate Patrick Friesacher will start third. Towsend Bell equalled his best starting position of the year with fourth, but Arden team-mate, recently-crowned champion Bjorn Wirdheim, recorded his worst starting position of the year after going off on his second set of tyres.

Ricardo Sperafico will start sixth for Coloni, ahead of Jaroslav Janis. The latter is the sole ISR Charouz representative in the race as regular team-mate Yannick Schroeder is out injured.

Team Astromega is also fielding only one car, for Germany's Tony Schmidt, so the field is down to just 14 cars this weekend. Briton Sam Hancock qualified 13th for Super Nova.

The notoriously dusty Hungaroring startline means that anyone starting on the odd side of the track - ie: Liuzzi, Friesacher, etc - will benefit from starting on the racing line for tomorrow's race. Pitstops will be introduced for the first time on Saturday, which should generate some much-needed excitement into proceedings.