Weather benefits Tarquini

Date published : 19 Jun 2010 - 16:38:47

A rain shower allowed Gabriele Tarquini to claim pole position for the World Touring Car Championship round at Zolder in Belgium.

The reigning world champion was the quickest man during the opening runs of the final 10-minute shoot-out for pole, and the arrival of the rain ensured that no-one was capable of beating his lap of one minute 38.265 seconds.

The Italian is joined on the front row by SEAT team-mate Jordi Gene, while the Chevrolets of Alain Menu and championship leader Yvan Muller will line up third and fourth.

Britain's Rob Huff was fifth in another of the Chevrolets with the SEAT of Norbert Michelisz was sixth.

BMW suffered most at the hands of the weather as Guernsey's Andy Priaulx and Brazil's Augusto Farfus were unable to get out on track and set a quick lap before the heavens opened.

Menu had been quickest during the opening part of qualifying, ahead of Tiago Monteiro, Priaulx and Tarquini as several drivers left it late to secure their place in Q2.

Huff came the closest to making an early exit as he slid from fifth down to 10th in the final moments, but he just clung on.

Former British Touring Car Championship racer and local favourite Vincent Radermecker will start 16th in his Chevrolet Cruze as he makes a one-off appearance in the series.