Tarquini leads SEAT front row

SEAT dominated for much of the session, holding the top six positions. Schnitzer BMW drivers Jorg and Dirk Muller eventually managed to infiltrate the group, with a spectacular lap from Jorg putting him second with a few minutes remaining.

Rydell came through to pip the BMW to the outside front row spot by just 0.001 seconds, but Muller retained third.

Despite SEAT's form so far, Tarquini remains concerned that the works BMWs - which traditionally go well at Magny-Cours - will reassert their authority tomorrow.

"I was really optimistic of getting pole position after free practice," said Tarquini. "In the race it will be a different story I think because the BMWs are very good for tyre wear.

"With this temperature our car seems very good on this track, so I'm still optimistic. But I don't know if the performance of our car is enough to beat the BMWs in the race."

Jordi Gene and Peter Terting, who also took turns on provisional pole, completed the top five ahead of BMW's Dirk Muller and Alex Zanardi.

Leading independent Tom Coronel had been second in free practice, and put his SEAT eighth on the overall grid.

Champion Andy Priaulx will start ninth, the FIA having decided that he should not receive a ten place penalty despite the seals on his engine having been broken in his massive Monza accident.

The heavily-ballasted points leader Yvan Muller was the slowest of the works SEATs in 12th.

The N-Technology Alfa Romeos have been struggling for pace all weekend, and both Salvatore Tavano and Augusto Farfus went off the road near the end of the session. Tavano was the team's top qualifier in 19th.

Qualifying times

Pos  Driver                Make                 Time
 1.  Gabriele Tarquini     SEAT Leon            1:49.306
 2.  Rickard Rydell        SEAT Leon            +  0.248
 3.  Jorg Muller           BMW 320si            +  0.249
 4.  Jordi Gene            SEAT Leon            +  0.492
 5.  Peter Terting         SEAT Leon            +  0.643
 6.  Dirk Muller           BMW 320si            +  0.721
 7.  Alessandro Zanardi    BMW 320si            +  0.737
 8.  Tom Coronel           SEAT Toledo Cupra    +  0.747
 9.  Andy Priaulx          BMW 320si            +  0.787
10.  James Thompson        SEAT Leon            +  0.907
11.  Nicola Larini         Chevrolet Lacetti    +  0.951
12.  Yvan Muller           SEAT Leon            +  0.959
13.  Alain Menu            Chevrolet Lacetti    +  0.975
14.  Luca Rangoni          BMW 320si            +  1.032
15.  Robert Huff           Chevrolet Lacetti    +  1.038
16.  Marcel Costa          BMW 320si            +  1.218
17.  Emanuele Naspetti     BMW 320i             +  1.383
18.  Alessandro Balzan     Alfa Romeo 156       +  1.408
19.  Salvatore Tavano      Alfa Romeo 156       +  1.489
20.  Pierre-Yves Corthals  Honda Accord Euro R  +  1.499
21.  Stefano d'Aste        BMW 320i             +  1.717
22.  Augusto Farfus        Alfa Romeo 156       +  1.783
23.  Gianni Morbidelli     Alfa Romeo 156       +  1.852
24.  Roberto Colciago      SEAT Leon            +  1.880
25.  Stefano Valli         BMW 320i             +  2.084
26.  Simone Iacone         BMW 320i             +  2.467
27.  Elio Marchetti        Alfa Romeo 156       +  3.054
28.  Diego Romanini        BMW 320i             +  3.274
29.  Ryan Sharp            Honda Accord Euro R  +  3.321
30.  Riccardo Romagnoli    Alfa Romeo 156 Gta   +  3.346
31.  Maurizio Ceresoli     SEAT Toledo Cupra    +  3.392
32.  Emmet O'Brien         BMW 320i             +  3.546
33.  Davide Roda           SEAT Leon            +  4.828