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Dams driver Kamui Kobayashi snatched top spot in qualification for the GP2 feature race in Dubai.

The Japanese ace recorded a lap time of 1:41.091 and will head the grid from countryman Sakon Yamamoto of ART at the second meeting of the GP2 Asia Series.

Kobayashi delivered his best performance with only two minutes left on the clock. In a trouble-free session and a cleaner track than during free practice, Campos driver Vitaly Petrov completed the top three.

Russian Petrov was aiming for pole but became embroiled in traffic late on, with Chris van der Drift hindering his final lap.

Championship leader Roldan Rodriguez of Piquet GP secured a place on the second row, clocking the fourth quickest lap time, ahead of Shanghai sprint race winner Davide Valsecchi of Durango.

Yelmer Buurman did brilliantly for newcomers Ocean Racing Technology, finishing sixth ahead of rookie Giedo van der Garde at GFH Team iSport.

Earlier in the session, Diego Nunes looked like a contender for pole but eventually placed his Piquet GP car in eighth place ahead of another rookie, Sergio Perez, in the second Campos car.

Dams man Jerome d'Ambrosio completed the top 10 while the first 16 cars in the list finished within a second of one another.

The feature race takes place on Friday while the sprint race will be held on Saturday.

Qualifying results:

1. Kamui Kobayashi (Dams) 1:41.091

2. Sakon Yamamoto (ART Grand Prix) 1:41.275

3. Vitaly Petrov (Barwa Int.Campos Team) 1:41.341

4. Roldan Rodriguez (Piquet GP) 1:41.376

5. Davide Valsecchi (Durango) 1:41.472

6. Yelmer Buurman (Ocean Racing Technology) 1:41.550

7. Giedo van der Garde (GFH Team iSport) 1:41.557

8. Diego Nunes (Piquet GP) 1:41.593

9. Sergio Perez (Barwa Int. Campos Team) 1:41.768

10. Jerome d'Ambrosio (Dams) 1:41.777

11. Andreas Zuber (Fisichella Motor Sport Int.) 1:41.798

12. Pastor Maldonado (ART Grand Prix) 1:41.838

13. Renger van der Zande (Trust Team Arden) 1:42.054

14. Javier Villa (Super Nova Racing) 1:42.062

15. James Jakes (Super Nova Racing) 1:42.066

16. Earl Bamber (MY Qi-Meritus.Mahara) 1:42.068

17. Luiz Razia (Trust Team Arden) 1:42.204

18. Giacomo Ricci (DPR) 1:42.351

19. Hamad Al Fardan (GFH Teal iSport) 1:42.367

20. Alberto Valerio (Trident Racing) 1:42.541

21. Alex Yoong (MY Qi-Meritus.Mahara) 1:43.026

22. Michael Herck (DPR) 1:43.102

23. Fabrizio Crestani (Ocean Racing Technology) 1:43.316

24. Chris van der Drift (Trident Racing) 1:43.393

25. Michael Dalle Stelle (Durango) 1:45.603

26. Kevin Nai Chia Chen (Fisichella Motor Sport Int.) 1:48.411

From Official Website