Menu on pole for Chevrolet at Pau

Chevrolet's Alain Menu claimed pole position for the fourth round of the World Touring Car Championship at Pau.

Menu emerged on top of a battle with SEAT's Yvan Muller after the Frenchman was unable to respond to the Chevrolet driver's pace in the closing stages because of yellow flags. Muller ended up almost fourth-tenths shy of Menu.

"It was pretty much the ultimate lap, I couldn't get much more out of the car or myself," said Menu. "I wasn't totally happy with the car and had a bit of understeer, which I didn't have time to change."

Augusto Farfus qualified third, although his session was blighted by a last lap roll at Monument.

The Brazilian lost the rear of his Schnitzer Motorsport BMW 320si and clipped the barrier entering the corner, causing the car to clip the roundabout kerb, which pitched him into a roll.

He rebounded off the barrier and ended up on his roof. Despite the dramatic accident, he was uninjured. However, he will have to start 13th on the grid after picking up a ten-place grid penalty for an incident in the last round at Valencia.

This promotes former Formula One racer Tiago Monteiro (SEAT) to third on the grid alongside the second Chevy of Nicola Larini, who was unable to improve in the closing stages of the session after suffering suspension damage. Completing a strong day for the RML-run Chevy team was Rob Huff, who will start fifth.

Defending champion Andy Priaulx, carrying 55kg success ballast, will start sixth ahead of the SEAT of Jordi Gene.

SEAT's Gabriele Tarquini qualified ninth fastest, although he too must serve a ten-place grid penalty after being adjudged to have caused a first-corner pile-up in the previous round at Valencia.

This promotes ROAL Motorsport BMW driver Felix Porteiro to eighth place ahead of Dutchman Olivier Tielemans, putting in by far his most convincing WTCC performance for the N.Technology Alfa Romeo team.

GR-Asia's Tom Coronel will start 10th ahead of the second Alfa of James Thompson. Thompson had expected to qualify more strongly, only for problems during the session to prevent him from improving on his first flying lap.

Best independent was Exagon Engineering SEAT driver Anthony Beltoise. The Frenchman, son of 1972 Monaco Grand Prix winner Jean-Pierre Beltoise, is contesting the Pau round as a one-off for television station TF1.

Wiechers-Sports BMW driver Stefano d'Aste was best of the rest of the independents, two places behind Beltoise after points leader Luca Rangoni hit problems in his Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si.

Jorg Muller will start only 15th after a difficult weekend in his Schnitzer BMW, one place ahead of the second ROAL BMW of former Champ Car champion Alex Zanardi.

Qualifying results:

Pos  Driver                Car           Time
 1.  Alain Menu            Chevrolet     1:21.930
 2.  Yvan Muller           SEAT         +   0.398
 3.  Augusto Farfus        BMW          +   0.449
 4.  Tiago Monteiro        SEAT         +   0.461
 5.  Nicola Larini         Chevrolet    +   0.486
 6.  Robert Huff           Chevrolet    +   0.528
 7.  Andy Priaulx          BMW          +   0.561
 8.  Jordi Gene            SEAT         +   0.661
 9.  Gabriele Tarquini     SEAT         +   0.704
10.  Felix Porteiro        BMW          +   0.739
11.  Olivier Tielemans     Alfa Romeo   +   0.935
12.  Tom Coronel           SEAT         +   1.018
13.  James Thompson        Alfa Romeo   +   1.022
14.  Anthony Beltoise      SEAT         +   1.125
15.  Michel Jourdain Jr    SEAT         +   1.164
16.  Stefano D'Aste        BMW          +   1.166
17.  Jorg Muller           BMW          +   1.197
18.  Alessandro Zanardi    BMW          +   1.216
19.  Sergio Hernandez      BMW          +   1.565
20.  Miguel Freitas        Alfa Romeo   +   2.037
21.  Maurizio Ceresoli     SEAT         +   2.183
22.  Emmet O'Brien         SEAT         +   2.264
23.  Luca Rangoni          BMW          +   2.343
24.  Pierre-Yves Corthals  SEAT         +1:56.391