MM Motorsport’s new TCR Europe driver Jacopo Cimenes will start from second place for his first race in the TCR Europe series, after a tight qualifying session in which the Italian driver was battling with the rival Honda of Ruben Volt for pole over both of their flying laps in Q2.

Cimenes looked set to snatch pole away from Volt on his second run, until he lost time in the final sector and had to settle for second on the grid.

“I’m so happy for this qualifying,” said Cimenes. “I was a bit disappointed as I wasn’t able to finalise my last lap, I was ahead right until the third sector, but I wasn’t able to maximise in that sector.

“My aim is try to finish on the podium, and maybe I can get the first place I missed in qualifying.