Muller claims first WTCR pole position in two years at Pau-Arnos

Yvan Muller stormed to his first pole position for two years by beating Jean-Karl Vernay in World Touring Car Cup qualifying at the short 1.88-mile Pau-Arnos circuit in France.

The Frenchman topped the Q3 shootout in his Cyan Racing Lynk & Co, ending up 0.233s faster than countryman Jean-Karl Vernay in his Engstler Hyundai Elantra N TCR.

“Yes, the first pole position of the season,” said four-time World Touring Car Champion Muller, whose last WTCR pole position was claimed at Macau in 2019.

“It was a good lap. I think it could have been better, but we always think that!”

Norbert Michelisz, race two winner at Most last weekend, was third fastest in his BRC Hyundai from the Lynk & Cos of Santiago Urrutia and Muller’s nephew Yann Ehrlacher.

“I was on used tyres so I was expecting a shit Q3 lap,” said the reigning champion and current points leader.

His closest title challenger Esteban Guerrieri will start race two just one place behind him in sixth after just missing out on the Q3 shootout. “I cannot be too disappointed,” said the Munnich Motorsport Honda driver.

“We saw the blue cars had something left and the Hyundais are in front. But we are in the mix.”

Frederic Vervisch qualified 10th in Q2 in his Comtoyou Audi RS 3 LMS, which means he will start the partially reversed-grid race one from pole position on Sunday morning.

He will be joined on the front row by Thed Bjork’s Lynk & Co, with Gabriele Tarquini’s Hyundai and Nestor Girolami’s Honda on row two.