Second pole for Belloc

Belloc, driving the #2 Oreca Viper with David Donohue, was happy with his result.

'Pole is important, but even more important is having a good car for the race.'

His main opposition in this ninth round of the championship is likely to come from his team-mates and championship leaders Beretta and Wendlinger, who will start from third place on the grid.

However, their Chrysler Viper has been suffering from mechanical problems this weekend.

'We were only using old tyres, and I lost time overtaking a slow Porsche,' Beretta commented. 'I don't really care about the front row.'

For the second time this season, a Chamberlain Viper will start from the front row.

Xavier Pompidou set the second-best time in the faster morning session.

'When I got out of the car this morning I was on pole, so I am really happy,' Pompidou said. 'I think we're a little more competitive than at Homestead, but it will be really difficult to beat the Oreca cars. We have a good chance of a podium.'

The Frenchman shares the car with fellow Frenchman Michel Ligonnet, driving a Viper for the first time, and with Belgian Vincent Vosse.

The second Chamberlain Viper, driven as usual by Christians Gläsel and Vann, was second in the afternoon session, placing them fourth overall.

'Our strategy was wrong,' Vann admitted. 'We banked on the afternoon being quicker.'

The pair are aiming for their first podium of the season.

'There's no reason we can't be in the top three,' he said. 'On race pace, we're very close to the other Chamberlain car.'

Fastest of the Porsches was the #15 Freisinger 911 GT2, driven by Wolfgang Kaufmann and Bob Wollek. They will start from fifth.

The Konrad Motorsport Porsche has suffered from engine problems for most of the weekend.

These were solved in time for second qualifying, but a combination of bad luck in the traffic and a spin for team-owner Konrad put the car seventh.

Best of the American entries in the invitational class was the Schumacher Racing Porsche 911 GT2, which will line up ninth, with the Reiser-Callas Porsche 911 RSR driven by David Murry and Joel Reiser 11th.