Qualifying - Tiago Monteiro takes Pole on the Streets of Marrakech

Street circuit pole position vital for Tiago Monteiro's chances

Qualifying flash: Monteiro snatches first pole of WTCC 2017

Tiago Monteiro has given himself a great chance to win the Main Race at FIA WTCC AFRIQUIA Race of Morocco after he bagged the DHL Pole Position Award following a record-breaking run in Marrakech.

Monteiro was the last driver to run in the Q3 single-lap shoot-out and snatched top spot from Volvo Polestar’s Néstor Girolami, who will start in second. Norbert Michelisz, who was fastest in FP2, will line up in third for Honda, ahead of WTCC Trophy pacesetter, ALL-INKL Munnich Motorsport Citroën privateer Rob Huff.

Local hero Mehdi Bennani made it through to Q3 with a dramatic last-lap effort in Q2 and will start his home Main Race from fifth spot on the grid.

Nicky Catsburg suffered a spin in the Volvo, which caused a red flag in Q2. However, he did manage to continue once the session went green again and will line up on the Main Race grid in sixth.

Thed Björk and Tom Chilton were seventh and eighth respectively, while Ryo Michigami qualified a career-best ninth on his Marrakech debut.

RC Motorsport’s rookie Yann Ehrlacher ended his first WTCC qualifying session in P10 – putting him on pole for tomorrow’s reverse-grid Opening Race.

Esteban Guerrieri was P11, with fellow Chevrolet Cruze driver Tom Coronel P12, after only just making it into Q2 thanks to a determined effort in the dying moments of Q1. That meant that Daniel Nagy was edged out and will start the Main Race in P13, ahead of John Filippi in P14.

Neither Zengo Motorsport drivers managed to get their Honda’s into Q2, with Nagy’s rookie team-mate Aurélien Panis starting at the back of the grid on Sunday.





Connect with the FIA WTCC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldTouringCarChampionship/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fia_wtcc
Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/fia_wtcc
Instagram: https://instagram.com/FIA_WTCC
Website: https://www.fiawtcc.com/