Lister Storm gets ahead at Zolder

Bailey set a time of 1:34.314 during the morning session, and as the temperatures rose, the other cars were never able to challenge him in the afternoon.

'This car is a front-runner, there is no doubt about it,' the former F1 driver said afterwards.

Team owner Laurence Pearce was equally happy, saying, 'I am pleased but not completely surprised. I always expected it.'

However an engine problem means that the team will have to work hard to get the Storm onto tomorrow's grid.

The Chrysler Viper Team Oreca cars, on pole position in all previous races this season, never looked in a position to take their habitual places on the front row of the grid.

Apparently the speed of their competitors took them by surprise in the morning, and they were not able to improve in the slower afternoon session.

However, the team also said they were struggling under the 90kg penalty weights, and preferred to work on the race set-up than go for a qualifying time.

Championship leader Jean-Philippe Belloc finished the session in the tyre barriers, having left the road while overtaking a Porsche.

'This is a very unforgiving track,' Belloc said.

Hewill will start from sixth position on the grid, with Beretta and Wendlinger in seventh.

Second and third places went to Porsches, with the Roock Racing Porsche 911GT2 driven by Hürtgen, Arhlé and Haupt ahead of the Konrad Motorsport Porsche.

Cor Euser, with the Marcos LM600, was fourth, and Ni Amorim,driving the Chamberlain Motorsport Viper, was fifth.

Qualifying results from Zolder