Menu hails greatest qualifying lap

The Chevrolet driver snatched the top spot from the diesel-powered SEAT of joint championship leader Yvan Muller in the dying moments of the session, to take his fifth race one pole position of the season.

"I think it was my best qualifying ever in a touring car," said Menu. "In 1994 I had a good lap at Oulton Park, but this one was better.

"At this circuit you get a good lap time if you try hard, but it is not easy to not hit anything. It was a fantastic effort from myself and the team."

Starting from pole position isn't necessarily ideal at Macau, where the pole sitter usually loses out on the long run down to the first braking zone at Lisboa bend.

However, Menu believes that his qualifying pace proves that he is fast enough to win the race, regardless of how his start goes.

"Of course I want to win, that is why I am a racing driver," he said. "There is a good chance to win so I will go for it, but there is a long drive to Lisboa so we will see what happens."