Motegi, Qual.: López storms to WTCC Motegi pole

José María López produced a stunning lap to take pole position at FIA WTCC JVCKENWOOD Race of Japan at Motegi.

The two-time World Champion and points leader was the last driver to take to the track in the Q3 pole position shootout, and was able to better the benchmark set by his Citroën team-mate Yvan Muller by eight tenths of a second on his way to the DHL-presented top spot on the Main Race grid.

Mehdi Bennani claimed third place as the leading WTCC Trophy competitor in his Sébastien Loeb Racing-run Citroën. Honda driver Tiago Monteiro looked as if he would better Bennani’s time until the final sector of the lap, but still secured a place on the second row of the grid.

Bennani’s team-mate Tom Chilton also made it to Q3 and finished up fifth. He denied Néstor Girolami a place in the shootout after the returning Argentine had set the pace in both practice sessions, but Girolami still took a fine sixth on his debut for Polestar Cyan Racing.

Nicky Catsburg was the best-placed LADA in seventh in front of the second Volvo driver Thed Björk and Honda men Rob Huff and Norbert Michelisz, who claimed the front row for the Opening Race.

James Thompson and Grégoire Demoustier were the other two drivers to make Q2 and will share row six on the grid. Catsburg’s team-mates Hugo Valente and Gabriele Tarquini were knocked out early on, as were local ace Ryo Michigami, John Filippi, Ferenc Ficza, Dániel Nagy and Tom Coronel.