The Alfa Romeo Racing Team quartet struggled to combat understeer in the FIA World Touring Car Championship qualifying session held at Valencia, in Spain, this afternoon. While outright pole position was secured by Jordi Gené in the new SEAT León, the factory Alfa Romeo drivers', Augusto Farfus, Gabriele Tarquini, Fabrizio Giovanardi and James Thompson, only managed sixth, eighth, thirteenth and twenty third places on the grid respectively. Tomorrow's double-header doesn't augur well for Giovanardi's WTCC crown bid as BMW mounted title rival Dirk Müller will start from third on the grid, although series points leader Andy Prilaux is well down the order, in fifteenth place.

In a riveting qualifying session SEAT came out on top and Gené will start on pole tomorrow, joined by his team-mate Peter Terting on the front row. Gené was the only driver to set a time below 1 minute 43 seconds – 1:42.778, meaning a Spanish driver in a Spanish car on pole in the WTCC Race of Spain, and also the first pole position for the new SEAT León on its only third appearance. Dirk Müller completed the top three who all set their best times in the final seconds. SEAT Sport began their attack nine minutes into the session as Gené, Rydell and Terting jumped to 1st-2nd-3rd.
 

The three SEAT drivers' then returned to the pits and waited to see if a challenge would be mounted by the Alfa Romeo and BMW runners. It did indeed come, in the form of Farfus’ Alfa Romeo as he split the SEAT trio by slotting into third place with a lap of 1:43.361. Ten minutes later, Rydell and Terting were back on the track with the young German right on the tail of his team-mate to benefit from a slip-stream. The team tactics worked as Terting improved his time and returned to third position.

However, the qualifying action was by no means over as Rob Huff in the Chevrolet Lacetti shot to sixth place and then the lap later he set a fantastic 1:43.295, promoting himself to second. He couldn’t hold on to that spot though as Gené and Terting worked together to reduce their times even further. They secured a SEAT 1-2 and Dirk Müller in the BMW also stormed through on his final lap to set a third fastest 1:43.277. This demoted Huff to fourth - still Chevrolet’s best qualifying position so far. Rickard Rydell will be on row three with Farfus next to him in 6th. The Brazilian youngster emerged as the fastest of the Alfa Romeo men who were all fighting against understeer. Ford were unable to be as competitive as they were in the practice sessions as Klenke and Funke set the eighteenth and twentieth quickest times.

The battle to be the fastest independent driver was also closely fought as at one point, Rosenblad, Coronel, De Micheli and Engström’s times were within an incredibly tight 0.314 of a second. Eventually it was Coronel of GR Asia who prevailed and posted the eleventh fastest time overall. However, due to an engine change after Istanbul, he will begin 21st after being penalised 10 grid positions. This means JAS Motorsport man, De Micheli in sixteenth will head the Independent field with Rosenblad in the spot right behind.