Motegi, Qual.: López storms to WTCC Motegi pole

Eight tenths of a second faster than Muller

By Franck Drui

3 September 2016 - 09:23
Motegi, Qual.: López storms to WTCC (…)

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.

Pos. Driver Team Car Q1 time Q2 time Q3 time
1 Jose Maria Lopez Citroen Total WTCC Citroen 1:56.759 1:55.934 1:55.602
2 Yvan Muller Citroen Total WTCC Citroen 1:57.271 1:56.394 1:56.409
3 Mehdi Bennani Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen 1:57.598 1:56.689 1:56.535
4 Tiago Monteiro Honda Racing Team JAS Honda 1:57.272 1:56.670 1:56.602
5 Tom Chilton Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen 1:57.674 1:56.798 1:56.877
---------- -------- -------- -------- --------- ---------
6 Nestor Girolami Polestar Cyan Volvo 1:57.536 1:56.916
7 Nicky Catsburg LADA Sport Lada 1:57.494 1:57.088
8 Thed Bjork Polestar Cyan Volvo 1:57.637 1:57.142
9 Rob Huff Honda Racing Team JAS Honda 1:57.191 1:57.251
10 Norbert Michelisz Honda Racing Team JAS Honda 1:57.125 1:57.465
11 James Thompson Munnich Motorsport Chevrolet 1:57.630 1:57.930
12 Grégoire Demoustier Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen 1:57.290 1:58.028
---------- -------- -------- -------- --------- ---------
13 Hugo Valente LADA Sport Lada 1:57.825
14 Gabriele Tarquini LADA Sport Lada 1:57.908
15 Ryo Michigami Honda Racing Team JAS Honda 1:57.971
16 John Filippi Campos Racing Chevrolet 1:58.119
17 Ferenc Ficza Zengo Honda 1:58.885
18 Daniel Nagy Zengo Honda 1:59.000
19 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet 2:01.233

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