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Volvo Polestar's Bjork excluded from WTCC Paul Ricard qualifying

Polestar's Thed Bjork has been excluded from World Touring Car Championship qualifying at Paul Ricard for failing a ride-height test

Bjork had been on the cusp of making the Q3 pole position shootout in his Volvo S60 Polestar on the marque's return to the championship, before being knocked back into sixth by Tiago Monteiro.

REPORT: Lopez tops Paul Ricard qualifying

But the Swede had all of his qualifying efforts - including those set in the first part of qualifying - removed after failing to clear the minimum ride height in parc ferme.

As a result, Bjork has been cleared to race but will start each of Sunday's races from the rear of the field.

A statement from Stewards said: "As the competitor asked to take part in the races due to the cancellation of all lap times, the Stewards decided to allow the competitor to start both races at the back of the grid."

Bjork's exclusion means that Lada's Hugo Valente, who had qualified 11th, will start Sunday's first race of the season from the reverse-grid pole, with Honda's Rob Huff now on the outside of the front row.

Bjork's team-mate Fredrik Ekblom did pass his ride height test.

He will now start Sunday's opening race from third, and is promoted to eighth on the grid for the main race.

REVISED RACE ONE STARTING GRID

Pos Driver Team Car
1 Hugo Valente LADA Sport Lada
2 Rob Huff Honda Racing Team JAS Honda
3 Fredrik Ekblom Polestar Cyan Racing Volvo
4 Mehdi Bennani Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen
5 Norbert Michelisz Honda Racing Team JAS Honda
6 Nicky Catsburg LADA Sport Lada
7 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet
8 Yvan Muller Citroen Racing Citroen
9 Tiago Monteiro Honda Racing Team JAS Honda
10 Jose Maria Lopez Citroen Racing Citroen
11 Gabriele Tarquini LADA Sport Lada
12 Tom Chilton Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen
13 Gregoire Demoustier Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen
14 John Filippi Campos Racing Chevrolet
15 Rene Munnich Munnich Motorsport Chevrolet
16 Thed Bjork Polestar Cyan Racing Volvo

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