Priaulx snatches last-gasp pole
Reigning World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx took a last-gasp pole position for tomorrow's first WTCC race at Oschersleben, in a session interrupted by red flags
Maurizio Ceresoli, Diego Romanini and Pierre-Yvas Corthals all had session-stopping accidents on the wet track, which were key to Briton Priaulx being able to snatch pole.
The clear-up from Ceresoli's smash caused a final long delay allowing the track to dry out enough for the entire field to switch to slicks for the dying moments, effectively producing a one-lap shoot-out for pole position.
All the cars left the pits together for their final attempt with BMW driver Priaulx producing the fastest lap to grab the top spot by 0.180 from countryman James Thompson in the SEAT Leon.
"The changeable conditions were tough," Priaulx said. "It was difficult to know how hard to push the car because I knew I had one chance. It was difficult with traffic but I pushed like crazy and managed to find a gap, and the team gave me the grip at the crucial time. I didn't know what to expect on new tyres and the track was drying all the time."
Brands Hatch pole-sitter Rickard Rydell will again be in contention for race victory tomorrow with the third quickest time. Gabriele Tarquini made it three SEATs in the top four, by taking the other spot on the second row.
Augusto Farfus' Alfa Romeo and Dirk Muller's BMW round out the top six on the grid.
Pos Driver Make Time Laps 1. Andy Priaulx BMW 320si 1:35.661 14 2. James Thompson SEAT Leon 1:35.841 + 0.180 16 3. Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon 1:35.853 + 0.192 14 4. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Leon 1:36.063 + 0.402 13 5. Augusto Farfus Alfa Romeo 156 1:36.233 + 0.572 14 6. Dirk Muller BMW 320si 1:36.335 + 0.674 15 7. Gianni Morbidelli Alfa Romeo 156 1:36.382 + 0.721 16 8. Yvan Muller SEAT Leon 1:36.410 + 0.749 15 9. Salvatore Tavano Alfa Romeo 156 1:36.516 + 0.855 12 10. Luca Rangoni BMW 320si 1:36.647 + 0.986 12 11. Jorg Muller BMW 320si 1:36.648 + 0.987 15 12. Tom Coronel SEAT Leon 1:36.669 + 1.008 12 13. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti 1:36.687 + 1.026 14 14. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si 1:36.843 + 1.182 15 15. Peter Terting SEAT Leon 1:37.326 + 1.665 15 16. Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti 1:37.482 + 1.821 10 17. Jens Edman Peugeot 407 1:37.971 + 2.310 14 18. Jordi Gene SEAT Leon 1:38.063 + 2.402 14 19. Stefano D'Aste BMW 320i 1:38.099 + 2.438 10 20. Pierre-Yves Corthals Honda Accord Euro R 1:38.731 + 3.070 14 21. Ryan Sharp Honda Accord Euro R 1:38.741 + 3.080 16 22. Emmet O'Brien BMW 320i 1:39.236 + 3.575 16 23. Robert Huff Chevrolet Lacetti 1:39.477 + 3.816 15 24. Marcel Costa BMW 320si 1:41.221 + 5.560 15
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