WTCC Morocco: Rob Huff and James Thompson take pole positions
Rob Huff secured his first World Touring Car Championship qualifying pole in more than three years as Honda locked out the top three positions in Morocco
Huff was second of the five pole position shootout runners to take to the track, but he strung together an exemplary lap of the Circuit Moulay El Hassan streets, posting a fastest time of1m21.743s to clinch his first pole since Macau in 2012 as his rivals wilted.
Norbert Michelisz was second, having set the fastest time of all in the second sector, while Tiago Monteiro looked on course for pole before losing out in the final sector.
Citroen's Jose Maria Lopez was 0.125 seconds up on Huff through the opening sector, but clunky middle and final sectors cost him the chance of a third pole from four rounds in 2016 and he was forced to settle for fourth.
Nicky Catsburg was the fifth driver to make Q3 after late threats from rivals in Q2 failed to materialise, but he could not improve on that effort and will line up behind Lopez in Sunday's second race.
Yvan Muller and Tom Coronel were the fastest of those eliminated in the second session, with neither able to challenge the top five, while Thed Bjork secured eighth ahead of Lada's Hugo Valente.
THOMPSON GETS REVERSED-GRID POLE
James Thompson repeated his practice pace to make the second part of qualifying, and his efforts were rewarded with 10th in Q2 - handing the Briton pole for Sunday's opening race.
Thompson improved in the final sector of his penultimate flying lap to bump himself back into the top 10 and, with Tom Chilton and Gabriele Tarquini unable to improve sufficiently, he remained there in the final two minutes to hold on for the reversed-grid pole.
Home favourite Mehdi Bennani was the biggest casualty of a frantic first session, managing only 14th in his Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen C-Elysee.
The Moroccan made Q2 on all three occasions previously this season, allowing him to capitalise in the opening reversed-grid race, but he will line-up on row seven alongside Volvo's Fredrik Ekblom in both of tomorrow's races.
John Filippi and Gregoire Demoustier were also eliminated, while Ferenc Ficza was unable to take any part with his car being rebuilt following a suspected power steering problem.
Citroen took its third MAC3 win of the season in comfortable fashion ahead of Lada - with a late puncture for Michelisz putting paid to Honda's hopes.
Led by Yvan Muller, Citroen completed its run in a time of 2m50.632s at the end of MAC3, finishing a second faster than Lada's trio had managed.
Between their two runs, Honda was on course to post the fastest time - which would have secured a third victory in succession for the marque - despite Michelisz brushing the wall at Turn 6.
But on the back straight, with only the final sector to negotiate, Huff jumped into the lead of the Civic train as Michelisz slowed, with Monteiro also squeaking by into the final complex.
Huff and Monteiro raced to the line but Michelisz struggled round the final corner, limping across the line in a time that Citroen would better by three seconds.
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