Reigning Independents Trophy champion Sergio Hernández had joined BMW Team Italy-Spain from Scuderia Proteam Motorsport, swapping seats with fellow Spaniard Félix Porteiro.

[1] Defending champion Yvan Muller led a SEAT 1–2–3–4–5 in the Saturday morning practice session with Farfus sixth as the best BMW runner.

[4] Muller also set the fastest time in Q2, winning pole position ahead of his teammates, Jordi Gené, Tarquini, Tiago Monteiro and Rickard Rydell.

[4] Jörg Müller was the fastest driver in Sunday mornings warm up session, leading a BMW 1–2–3 ahead of Farfus and Priaulx.

Alain Menu retired following a collision on the opening lap, involving him and the BMWs of Jörg Müller and Andy Priaulx.

The race started behind the safety car on a track flooded by a violent thunderstorm, with Félix Porteiro who had inherited pole position after Tiago Monteiro’s penalty.

In the early stages the BMW drivers - Félix Porteiro, Andy Priaulx, Sergio Hernández and Augusto Farfus – set the pace, but soon the SEAT tide became unstoppable.

Gabriele Tarquini, Rickard Rydell, Jordi Gené and Yvan Muller jumped on top to stay, while Porteiro repeated his success in the Independents’ class.