The Italian driver was given a drop of five positions, because he had improved his Q1 lap time under yellow flag. However Morbidelli retained the five qualifying points for having been the fastest in Q3 today.

His penalty means that Yvan Muller and Sébastien Loeb advance to first and second on the grid for Race1, with Coronel and López behind them and Chilton and Morbidelli filling the third row.

This was the second time so far this season that Muller inherited pole position following a penalty; it had happened at Le Castellet, where Loeb and López were penalized for a technical infringement.