FIA World Endurance Championship leader Allan McNish starts his hybrid-diesel Audi sportscar from fourth position on the 28-car grid aiming to secure the Driver’s “crown” tomorrow (SAT).

Britain’s McNish, Tom Kristensen (Den) and Loic Duval (F) have already scored three wins and three second places in the eight round series while a fourth place or better in tomorrow’s (SAT) Six Hours of Shanghai – the penultimate round of the series – will earn the trio the world title.

Dumfries-born McNish and Duval set a combined average fastest time of 1minute 49.173secs around the 3.39-mile Grand Prix circuit in today’s (FRI) 25mins qualifying session staged in dusk conditions.

The qualifying format requires two drivers from each car to set a minimum of two “flying” laps each. The grid is decided by the combined average of each driver’s fastest two laps.

“It was a tough day and we have a fight on our hands,” remarked McNish who finished second in the corresponding race last year to just miss out on the world title.

“We had two practice sessions and then qualifying all in close succession during the course of the day. In second practice our car didn’t run at full capacity and that possibly affected our performance in qualifying.

“The biggest factor is that this track is high on tyre degradation which means we’ll be fighting to combat this in the race.”

The similar Audi Sport Team Joest R18 e-tron quattro of Marcel Fassler (CH)/Andre Lotterer (D)/Benoit Treluyer (F), begins the race from second position having set a combined average time a mere 0.089secs slower than the pole-sitting Toyota.

McNish’s team-mates Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer are the only car crew that can deprive the Scotsman his first-ever world title.

The Six hour race is scheduled to start at 0300*.

* Shanghai is +8hrs British time