Paul di Resta raised hopes of a British winner on home ground at Brands Hatch after claiming pole position for the seventh round of the DTM.

The Scot came good in the four-way shootout for pole position, signalling the first top spot for the Mercedes team in a season that has seen Audi dominate in each qualifying session thus far.

Even so, Audi remain in a strong position having locked out second and third positions two in the order of championship leader Timo Scheider and the soon-to-retire Tom Kristensen.

Scheider is well placed to build on his lead too, with nearest rivals Mattias Ekstrom and Gary Paffett failing to reach the very final stages of qualifying to slot in behind him in seventh and sixth respectively.

Completing the top four shootout was Bruno Spengler in the second of the C-Class', while Martin Tomcyzk followed in fifth position and Jamie Green sneaked into the top eight driving his '08 three-pointed star.

Elsewhere, Ralf Schumacher was lowest placed '09 runner in 11th, while the remaining British contingent of Oliver Jarvis, Susie Stoddart and Katherine Legge will line-up ninth, 14th and 16th respectively.