WTCC: Huff and Thompson get Morocco poles

Rob Huff secured his first World Touring Car Championship qualifying pole in more than three years as Honda locked out the top three positions in Morocco.

Huff was second of the five pole position shootout runners to take to the track, but he strung together an exemplary lap of the Circuit Moulay El Hassan streets, posting a fastest time of1m21.743s to clinch his first pole since Macau in 2012 as his rivals wilted.

Norbert Michelisz was second, having set the fastest time of all in the second sector, while Tiago Monteiro looked on course for pole before losing out in the final sector.

Citroen's Jose Maria Lopez was 0.125 seconds up on Huff through the opening sector, but clunky middle and final sectors cost him the chance of a third pole from four rounds in 2016 and he was forced to settle for fourth.

Nicky Catsburg was the fifth driver to make Q3 after late threats from rivals in Q2 failed to materialize, but he could not improve on that effort and will line up behind Lopez in Sunday's second race.

Yvan Muller and Tom Coronel were the fastest of those eliminated in the second session, with neither able to challenge the top five, while Thed Bjork secured eighth ahead of Lada's Hugo Valente.

THOMPSON GETS REVERSED-GRID POLE

James Thompson repeated his practice pace to make the second part of qualifying, and his efforts were rewarded with 10th in Q2, handing the Briton pole for Sunday's opening race.

Thompson improved in the final sector of his penultimate flying lap to bump himself back into the top 10 and, with Tom Chilton and Gabriele Tarquini unable to improve sufficiently, he remained there in the final two minutes to hold on for the reversed-grid pole.

Home favourite Mehdi Bennani was the biggest casualty of a frantic first session, managing only 14th in his Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen C-Elysee.

The Moroccan made Q2 on all three occasions previously this season, allowing him to capitalize in the opening reversed-grid race, but he will line up on Row 7 alongside Volvo's Fredrik Ekblom in both of tomorrow's races.

John Filippi and Gregoire Demoustier were also eliminated, while Ferenc Ficza was unable to take any part with his car being rebuilt following a suspected power steering problem.

Originally on Autosport.com