The 'lucky Buddha' charm which he wears around his neck seems to be working for Briton Andy Priaulx, who took a giant step towards winning the FIA World Touring Car Championship when he grabbed pole position for the first of the two-leg Guia race tomorrow.
As the action heated up during yesterday's accident-marred qualifying session at the 52nd Macau Grand Prix, Priaulx (pictured) lived a charmed life as he recorded the fastest lap time in one of his first swings around the 6.2 kilometre track - and then put it all down to his jade talisman which he kissed reverently.
'I have my lucky Buddha with me. I got it yesterday - it was given to me as a present. I will wear it around my neck during the race,' said Priaulx, who drives for BMW Team UK, who are also in the running for the manufacturers' title.
The Guernsey-born Priaulx then had the luxury of watching fellow-contenders Dirk Muller and Fabrizio Giovanardi struggle to match his time in a session which was red-flagged four times due to accidents, one of which involved Hong Kong driver Paul Poon Tak-chun.
'My strategy was to be organised and to be early in getting a quick time. I knew this being Macau, I would struggle to do another fast lap time later and so it proved,' said Priaulx, who took pole in two minutes and 31.712 seconds.
The BMW driver was a comfortable six-tenths of a second clear of local driver Andre Couto, who delighted the home fans with a creditable performance. In third place is Alfa Romeo teammate Augusto Farfus Jnr.
The chain of accidents that followed Priaulx's first flying lap prevented rivals Muller (BMW Team Deutschland) and Giovanardi (Alfa Romeo) from overhauling Priaulx. Germany's Muller, who has a one-point lead over Priaulx in the drivers' standings, finished sixth while the Italian, who is four points further adrift, will start in ninth position.