Qualifying: Giovanardi pips Rydell

The Alfa Romeo driver set his time just as the chequered flag fell to knock Volvo's Rickard Rydell off the top spot. It would have been the Swede's first pole since joining the series this year, but the performance of the new S60 was still encouraging.

"We are improving by half a second at every race," said Rydell. "We now only have a gap of half a tenth from the Alfas. I hope that we will get ahead soon but that the gap between the cars stays close until the end of the season."

Giovanardi was delighted with pole. "It is getting more difficult to get pole position at every race now!" he said. "Rydell was fantastic in the session. Volvo was fantastic."

Early pace-setter Nicola Larini will start tomorrow's first race third on the grid alongside the BMW of Dirk Muller.

Briton James Hanson managed his best ETCC qualifying performance of the season and will start his Volvo from fifth.

Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 2m13.1s
Rickard Rydell Volvo S60 2m13.2
Nicola Larini Alfa Romeo 156 2m14.0s
Dirk Muller BMW 320i 2m14.2s
James Hanson Volvo S60 2m14.3
Frederik Ekblom BMW 320i 2m14.3