Lopez storms WTCC qualifying, Bennani to start first race from pole

Lopez was in a class of his own in the third part of qualifying, the pole position shootout, setting a best time of 1m46.109s which was 0.6 seconds faster than any of his rivals could manage.

Pole is the Argentinian's first in Hungary, and the five extra points he receives as a result move him to the head of the championship standings ahead of Honda's Tiago Monteiro.

Tom Coronel claimed a place on the front row for tomorrow's main race second place in his ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet Cruze, having edged out the two Honda Civics of Rob Huff and Monteiro.

Thed Bjork, making his and Polestar's first appearance in Q3, was fifth in his Volvo S60 after running first in the pole position shootout.

The Swede secured the last slot in the shootout with an early lap in the second part of qualifying, and while he is set to start from the rear of the opening race grid after taking an engine change, he will keep his qualifying position for the main race.

Late improvements for Huff and Monteiro meaning home favourite Norbert Michelisz was forced to settle for sixth on the main race grid after he was bumped out of the Q2 top five.

Nicky Catsburg was the best of Lada's contingent, taking seventh in his Vesta, while Yvan Muller could only manage eighth in the second factory Citroen C-Elysee.

The Frenchman scraped into the second part of qualifying after Lada's Hugo Valente and Campos Racing's John Filippi failed to improve significantly to displace him, but Muller, who had to abort his first run in Q1, could not take advantage of his second chance - although he will start Sunday's opening reversed-grid race from third.

Fredrik Ekblom was ninth in the second Volvo S60 Polestar ahead of Mehdi Bennani, who edged out Sebastien Loeb Racing team-mate Tom Chilton for 10th and will start from the reversed-grid pole.

CITROEN TOPS TIME TRIAL BEFORE PENALTY

In the MAC3 time trial, Citroen took a provisional victory ahead of Honda and Lada - although it later had that chalked off for a track limits infringement.

Yvan Muller completed the French marque's run in a time of 3m41.538s to hand Citroen what would have been it's third win in as many rounds - although both its and Lada's runs were later investigated by the stewards before Bennani and Valente - who false started - were both handed 30-second penalties.

After Bennani had dropped off the back of his factory counterparts in the first two runs of the time trial in France and Slovakia, he slotted between Lopez and Muller at the start of Citroen's two laps and clung on well to Lopez who led the train.

They crossed the line comfortably clear of Lada's effort, and although the Honda trio were initially quicker through the opening two splits, they gradually fell away.

Monteiro was last of the Honda drivers to cross the line, completing its run 0.174s slower than Citroen - which until Citroen's penalty had been the largest margin of victory in MAC3 since its adoption at the start of the season.

Citroen having pipped Lada by 0.030s at Paul Ricard, before it and Honda recorded identical times last weekend at the Slovakia Ring.

RACE ONE STARTING GRID

RACE TWO STARTING GRID