Twenty minutes into the qualifying session, BMW Team Great Britain’s driver Andy Priaulx made a perfect lap and clocked an outstanding time of 2:32.217. This not only was a massive 2-second improvement compared to last year’s pole position, but also enabled Priaulx to oust BMW Team Deutschland’s Dirk Müller, claiming the pole position for good. His first since when he joined the FIA ETCC. Priaulx’s exploit made RBM team manager Bart Mampaey, very happy. “Despite my team, which is based 150 km from the track, won several races in Spa, we had never managed to claim a pole before. I’m so grateful to Andy for this, and I hope we can continue like this tomorrow,” Mampaey commented. 

Dirk Müller may have lost the pole, despite a very quick lap in 2:32.948, but he finally maintained the second position on the grid, completing an all BMW front row to please a special guest, BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. 

But Alfa Romeo are not far away. Current Championship leader Gabriele Tarquini set the third-fastest lap in 2:32.971, only 23 thousandths of a second behind Dirk Müller; and this despite carrying the maximum 40-kg ballast on board his car. His Autodelta team-mate Nicola Larini was fourth-fastest with a time of 2:33.495. Fifth on the grid will be reigning ETCC champion Fabrizio Giovanardi in his BMW Team Italy-Spain car, with Jörg Müller (40 extra kg for him too) alongside him. 

Clever Cats R&M’s team-mates Paolo Ruberti and Fabio Francia emerged as the fastest independent drivers and they will share the fourth row of the grid. While Rickard Rydell’s Volvo and Antonio García’s BMW completed the top ten. SEAT Sport drivers Jordi Gené and Frank Diefenbacher had a troubled day. A driveshaft joint broke on the Spaniard’s Toledo during qualifying, while the team had to change the engine on Diefenbacher’s car. Which means he will be demoted to the back of the grid for Race 1. 

Another disappointed driver was Roberto Colciago, who completed only four laps in the third Autodelta works car, due to an oil leak from the gearbox. As for Eric Cayrolle, he could not do any better than the slowest time of the session because of persisiting engine problems plaguing his Scuderia Bigazzi Alfa Romeo. 
 

Gabriele TARQUINI: “I tried very hard. I was happy about my time, but Andy did a really good time; I was surprised when I saw it. I did a good lap with the extra 40 kg ballast, and I only missed the second spot of the grid by inches. But I feel confident for tomorrow. Normally our front-wheel-drive cars have an handicap at the start; but here the grid is downhill, and this will help me.” 

Nicola LARINI: “My qualifying results were surely affected by the fact that I entirely missed the first practice, when I went off due to a technical problem. The consequence was that I had no time for making a proper test on new tyres. I had yet to find the feeling with my car when the qualifying started, and when I tried to negotiate the Eau Rouge the wai I think you have to do, I nearly lost the car. I was lucky to avoid the crash, but I was forced to slow down and set my fastest time on the second lap.” 

Paolo RUBERTI: “I’m obviously quite happy to be first of the Independents and seventh overall. However I have the feeling I could have done better, because I set my time by myself, without aspiration. I’m confident for the races, because we were very good on used tyres during this morning’s practice.”