Yvan Muller: “I’m pleased to have scored my first ‘real’ pole position of the season. It’s always complicated to do a quick lap here, because it’s quite a long track with many corners. In general, you have two options: either to set up the car to be quick on the first part of the track or to be quick in the second part of the lap. I choose neither options and just tried to go fast while at the same time looking after my car, which in the end was good enough to secure pole. In the end, my time in the first sector decided the pole position because my team-mates were equally fast in the second and third sectors. These new boys are giving me a hard time each time out!”

José María López: “I’m really happy, as I did a very good lap. I felt comfortable in the car all weekend. After the free practice sessions I didn’t quite know what to expect from the others, so I just pushed as hard as I could. I couldn’t find the same speed in the first sector as Yvan and Seb, and I made a few mistakes in Q1 and Q2, but my lap in Q3 was near-perfect. I don’t think I could have gone any faster.”

Sébastien Loeb: “I have been having a consistent weekend since Friday. I was three tenths slower than Yvan and José María in the first practice session and I’m still three tenths off their pace now. Q2 was close as for a while it looked as if I might be bumped from fifth by Bennani, but in the end it worked out just fine. As to the race, there are not a lot of places to overtake here, but it will all be about saving your tyres and finding a comfortable rhythm to finish in good shape.”