Tarquini in the wall, Muller well placed for Races 2 and 3

Yvan muller (Hyundai) did not take pole in Macau, but that doesn't matter, the main thing is elsewhere. The Alsatian will start each time ahead of his opponent Gabriele Tarquini (Hyundai) this weekend, an excellent operation in view of the battle he is waging for the world title.

Qualified sixth in Q2, the four-time World Touring Car champion will be entitled to fourth place for Race 2 (due to the inverted grid) and sixth for Race 3. Enough to allow him to aim for big points, what he needs if he is to close his 37-point deficit on the Italian veteran.

This session could therefore have major repercussions for Gabriele Tarquini. The BRC Racing Team driver did not go further than Q1. An accident against the wall of tires while braking in Lisboa at the end of the main straight ruined all his hopes. The leader of the general classification will only start in 14th place in Races 2 and 3!

A real poor performance for the 2009 WTCC champion, who nevertheless explained this morning “regain confidence after a cautious first day”. Another challenger will have his work cut out for him. Thed Bjork (Hyundai, 3rd overall) “was on the limit throughout the session”, but over-drove and will start in 13th position.

Another race in the title race, that concerning the polemen of Races 2 and 3 on Sunday. Ultra-dominant during free practice, Rob huff (Volkswagen) did it again despite a left rearview mirror scratched against a wall. The Briton is in the running to join Edoardo Mortara as record holder for success in Macau (9 for Huff, 10 for Mortara).

The surprise of the day comes from Timo Scheider (Honda). The German rookie, double champion of DTM all the same, won pole for Race 2, thanks to his 10th fastest time as well as the reverse grid system.

Two French people stood out in Q3. Jean-Karl Vernay (Audi, 5th overall) will start 6th then 4th on Sunday while Yann Erlacher (Honda) preserves fifth place twice.

Among the other major events of this session, let us note the accident of Mehdi Bennani (Volkswagen) during Q2. The Moroccan will be forced to start 11th in Races 2 and 3. In the French clan, Nathanaël Berthon (Audi) will start 12th, Aurélien Panis (Audi) 15th, John Filippi (Cupra) 17th, and Aurélien Comte (Peugeot ) 21th.