Menu leads Chevrolet front row
Former British Touring Car Champion Alain Menu headed a Chevrolet lockout of the front row in qualifying for the second round of the World Touring Car Championship at Zandvoort
The Swiss, driving the latest version of the Chevy Lacetti, which features modified aerodynamics and a new air intake system, took pole by over half-a-second, with teammate Nicola Larini rounding out a spectacular session for the marque in second.
Joint championship leader Augusto Farfus was best of the rest in his Schnitzer Motorsport-run BMW 320si as BMW struggled to match the pace of the Chevrolets.
Completing a BMW lockout of the second row was independent Luca Rangoni, who put his Proteam Motorsport machine a stunning fourth on the grid.
Former Formula One driver Tiago Monteiro was fifth fastest on his touring car debut for SEAT, shading the ROAL-run Italy-Spain BMW of GP2 convert Felix Porteiro.
Several of the fancied runners struggled. Andy Priaulx could manage only eight in his RBM-run BMW, one place ahead of the third Chevy of compatriot Rob Huff.
Jorg Muller, who along with Priaulx and Schnitzer teammate Farfus leads the standings, will start 11th alongside former British Touring Car Champion James Thompson.
Pos Driver Car Time 1. Alain Menu Chevrolet 1:47.044 2. Nicola Larini Chevrolet 1:47.201 + 0.157 3. Augusto Farfus BMW 1:47.519 + 0.475 4. Luca Rangoni BMW 1:47.679 + 0.635 5. Tiago Monteiro SEAT 1:47.738 + 0.694 6. Felix Porteiro BMW 1:47.825 + 0.781 7. Jordi Gene SEAT 1:47.877 + 0.833 8. Andy Priaulx BMW 1:47.916 + 0.872 9. Robert Huff Chevrolet 1:47.969 + 0.925 10. Roberto Colciago SEAT 1:47.984 + 0.940 11. Jorg Muller BMW 1:48.103 + 1.059 12. James Thompson Alfa Romeo 1:48.121 + 1.077 13. G.Tarquini SEAT 1:48.192 + 1.148 14. A.Zanardi BMW 1:48.261 + 1.217 15. Tom Coronel SEAT 1:48.312 + 1.268 16. Yvan Muller SEAT 1:48.328 + 1.284 17. P-Y.Corthals SEAT 1:48.330 + 1.286 18. M.Jourdain Jr. SEAT 1:48.821 + 1.777 19. O.Tielemans Alfa Romeo 1:49.376 + 2.332 20. Stefano D'Aste BMW 1:49.717 + 2.673 21. Miguel Freitas Alfa Romeo 1:50.279 + 3.235 22. Emmet O'Brien SEAT 1:50.474 + 3.430 23. V.Shapovalov BMW 1:52.415 + 5.371 24. Lev Fridman BMW 1:52.616 + 5.572 25. Evgeny Zelenov BMW 1:56.821 + 9.777
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