NEWS // TARQUINI WRAPS UP JAPANESE POLE

Italian WTCC championship leader Gabriele Tarquini took a surprise pole position for the penultimate round of the 2009 World Touring Car Championship at Okayama Japan. Tarquini's SEAT will start Sunday's race one from P1 after narrowly edging out the BMW's of Andy Priaulx and Jorg Muller.

SEAT Sport driver Tarquini commented, “Getting pole has been key in past races but we didn’t expect it here. I was surprised to get pole and I was helped by Gené who gave me a good slipstream. Being away from trouble in the rolling start is important and pole position gives you 90% safety. We know BMW have a better race pace so I don’t think I will keep the front position but I must score points and finish both races"

Tarquini's Pole is his third in as many races and makes it his fifth of the season so far... [read more]


WTCC Japan Qualifying Top Ten:
01 Gabriele Tarquini Seat 1:37.666
02 Andy Priaulx BMW 0.050
03 Jörg Müller BMW 0.060
04 Rickard Rydell Seat 0.133
05 Augusto Farfus Jr. BMW 0.160
06 Jordi Gené Seat 0.169
07 Yvan Muller Seat 0.312
08 Tiago Monteiro Seat 0.453
09 Robert Huff Chevrolet 0.954
10 Alain Menu Chevrolet 1.444

Photo: WTCC Media
Editorial: Neil Tozer