Gabriele Tarquini claimed pole position for SEAT ahead of Sunday's seventh round of the World Touring Car Championship in Porto.

The veteran Italian's best lap of two minutes 9.308 seconds was just enough to pip Britain's Rob Huff to the top of the timesheet by less than a tenth of a second, the Chevrolet driver having set the pace in practice earlier on Saturday.

The pole was Tarquini's second of the season and stands him in good stead in his championship battle with team-mate Yvan Muller, whom he trails in the drivers' standings by 10 points heading into tomorrow's two races.

"I am very pleased to be on pole again," said Tarquini. "But statistically when I am on pole position I have never won, so I must crack this statistic."

Championship leader Muller had earlier set the pace in the first qualifying session but failed to rise to the challenge of Tarquini and will line up in third place.

BMW's Andy Priaulx had to be content with fourth but it could have been so much better for the Guernseyman whose car went loose at the final chicane on his last hot lap as he looked set to improve his time.

The second Chevrolet Cruze of Alain Menu will start from fifth ahead of Portuguese driver Tiago Monteiro (SEAT).

BMW's Augusto Farfus, who is third in the championship, two points behind Tarquini, will start from seventh after clipping the wall through the last chicane on his best lap.

The third Chevrolet of Nicola Larini claimed eighth while the SEATs of Rickard Rydell and Jordi Gene rounded out the top 10, both having made errors on their best laps in Q2.

The BMWs of Alessandro Zanardi and Jorg Muller failed to make it into the final part of qualifying and will line up 11th and 12th respectively, while LADA debutant James Thompson was way off the pace at the wheel of the new Priora, qualifying 22nd, over four seconds shy of the frontrunners.