Team Vodafone's Jamie Whincup showed the switch from Ford to Holden won't be as big a problem as some may have hoped, taking pole position for race one of the Yas V8 400 Australian V8 Supercar weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

Whincup was fastest in qualifying and went even faster in the shootout to take pole position by nearly a quarter second in his return to the Holden marque, with Holden Racing Team's Garth Tander alongside him after setting the second-fastest time in both sessions.

A pair of Fords fill the second row, Ford Performance Racing's Mark Winterbottom just edging out Jim Beam's James Courtney. Tander's teammate Will Davison was fifth fastest, just edging out Jason Bright who switched teams and marques during the off-season and is now in a Holden for Brad Jones.

Lee Holdsworth and Stone Brothers Racing teammates Alex Davison and Shane van Gisbergen fill the next three places, with Whincup's teammate Craig Lowndes completing the top-10 after spinning late in his shootout lap after looking likely to set a time around that of Winterbottom's.

Just outside the top 10 are Paul Dumbrell in another FPR car, just ahead of Holdsworth's teammate Michael Caruso and the Supercheap car of Russell Ingall.

The two Kellys, Rick and Todd, had a disappointing session, qualifying 17th and 21st, though both are ahead of FPR's Steven Richards in 23rd and Paul Morris in 27th who is subbing for Greg Murphy who had a clashing commitment in New Zealand.

Pos  Driver                Car                   Time
 1.  Jamie Whincup         Holden Commodore VE   1:58.1140 
 2.  Garth Tander          Holden Commodore VE   1:58.3550  + 0.2410
 3.  Mark Winterbottom     Ford Falcon FG        1:58.6620  + 0.5480
 4.  James Courtney        Ford Falcon FG        1:58.6790  + 0.5650
 5.  Will Davison          Holden Commodore VE   1:58.8540  + 0.7400
 6.  Jason Bright          Holden Commodore VE   1:58.9000  + 0.7860
 7.  Lee Holdsworth        Holden Commodore VE   1:59.3560  + 1.2420
 8.  Alex Davison          Ford Falcon FG        1:59.4180  + 1.3040
 9.  Shane Van Gisbergen   Ford Falcon FG        1:59.5250  + 1.4110
10.  Craig Lowndes         Holden Commodore VE   2:09.2870  + 1.1730
11.  Paul Dumbrell         Ford Falcon FG        1:59.1360  + 1.0220
12.  Michael Caruso        Holden Commodore VE   1:59.1980  + 1.0840
13.  Russell Ingall        Holden Commodore VE   1:59.2400  + 1.1260
14.  Steven Johnson        Ford Falcon FG        1:59.3210  + 1.2070
15.  Jason Bargwanna       Holden Commodore VE   1:59.3710  + 1.2570
16.  Jonathon Webb         Ford Falcon FG        1:59.3760  + 1.2620
17.  Rick Kelly            Holden Commodore VE   1:59.4270  + 1.3130
18.  Tony D'Alberto        Holden Commodore VE   1:59.8970  + 1.7830
19.  Tim Slade             Ford Falcon FG        1:59.9030  + 1.7890
20.  Jason Richards        Holden Commodore VE   1:59.9120  + 1.7980
21.  Todd Kelly            Holden Commodore VE   2:00.0730  + 1.9590
22.  Andrew Thompson       Holden Commodore VE   2:00.0770  + 1.9630
23.  Steven Richards       Ford Falcon FG        2:00.1770  + 2.0630
24.  Fabian Coulthard      Holden Commodore VE   2:00.1830  + 2.0690
25.  Karl Reindler         Holden Commodore VE   2:00.3790  + 2.2650
26.  Dean Fiore            Ford Falcon FG        2:00.3900  + 2.2760
27.  Paul Morris           Holden Commodore VE   2:00.8450  + 2.7310
28.  Daniel Gaunt          Holden Commodore VE   2:00.8850  + 2.7710
29.  Tony Ricciardello     Holden Commodore VE   2:03.0130  + 4.8990