Paul di Resta dominated DTM qualifying at Brands Hatch, topping all four segments of the session on his way to pole position.
The Force India Formula 1 third driver looked the man to beat throughout qualifying, and he ran last in the pole-deciding Q4 session after topping Q3. He was comfortably ahead of provisional polesitter Bruno Spengler after the first two sectors of the lap. He then had a scare when he put two wheels onto the grass exiting the final corner, but still had enough time in hand to take top spot.
Championship leader Spengler will join his HWA-Meredes teammate on the front row, with Timo Scheider the top Audi in third.
Ralf Schumacher was the final driver to make it into Q4, at the expense of former champion and Mercedes teammate Gary Paffett by just 0.005sec. The German had a scruffy lap in the final session, so he had to settle for fourth place. Paffett will share the third row with his old rival Mattias Ekstrom, who is followed up by his Audi teammates Oliver Jarvis and Miguel Molina.
Audi's Martin Tomczyk was the only driver of a 2009-spec car to not make Q3 for the top eight. The German will start 10th, just behind the 2008-spec Mercedes of Jamie Green.