Attila Tassi pipped Jean-Karl Vernay to the top time in second practice for the TCR International Series in Georgia, with early morning pace-setter Ferenc Ficza in third.
The young Hungarian posted a time of 1:41.516 with eight minutes to go in the half hour session, which at the time was over half a second clear of the rest of the field at a cold but dry Rustavi International Circuit.
The M1RA driver’s time was over three tenths faster than the best lap of the weekend beforehand, as drivers continue to put more rubber down on the circuit and clear away the dirt which had accumulated prior to the weekend.
In the end, Leopard Racing’s Jean-Karl Vernay was able to elevate himself to third fastest with just over five minutes to go, with the Frenchman going on to improve again to within two tenths of the pace-setting M1RA driver.
Ferenc Ficza,who had until now topped all of the timed sessions, put his Zele Racing SEAT in third, over half a second off the pace.
Fourth was local ace Davit Kajaia, who was also the first to top the times early in the session. Having been on top for the first half, the Georgian didn’t improve in the second half of the session and ended up 0.638 seconds adrift.
Experienced Italian Roberto Colciago was fifth, ahead of Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Pepe Oriola in sixth and Mat’o Homola in seventh.
Pierre-Yves Corthals completed more laps than any other driver in the session, ending up in 12th overall. Reigning champion Stefano Comini was 13th, almost 1.5 seconds off the pace, as the Swiss driver actually went two tenths slower than his morning time in the new Audi RS3.
Qualifying takes place at 15:00 local time (12:00 BST / 13:00 CEST) and will be streamed live online via YouTube.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | BEST |
| 1 | 9 | Attila TASSI |  |
M1RA | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 11 | 1:41.516 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 2 | Jean-Karl VERNAY |  |
Leopard Racing Team WRT | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 13 | 1:41.676 | 0.160 |
| 3 | 55 | Ferenc FICZA | |
Zele Racing | SEAT León TCR | 13 | 1:42.097 | 0.581 |
| 4 | 16 | Davit KAJAIA |  |
GE-Force | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 8 | 1:42.154 | 0.638 |
| 5 | 5 | Roberto COLCIAGO |  |
M1RA | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 12 | 1:42.194 | 0.678 |
| 6 | 74 | Pepe ORIOLA |  |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 12 | 1:42.315 | 0.799 |
| 7 | 70 | Mat’o HOMOLA |  |
DG Sport Compétition | Opel Astra TCR | 13 | 1:42.524 | 1.008 |
| 8 | 7 | Hugo VALENTE | |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 11 | 1:42.609 | 1.093 |
| 9 | 21 | Giacomo ALTOÈ | |
West Coast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 13 | 1:42.612 | 1.096 |
| 10 | 54 | James NASH |  |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 14 | 1:42.736 | 1.220 |
| 11 | 10 | Gianni MORBIDELLI | |
West Coast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 11 | 1:42.850 | 1.334 |
| 12 | 23 | Pierre-Yves CORTHALS |  |
DG Sport Compétition | Opel Astra TCR | 15 | 1:42.879 | 1.363 |
| 13 | 1 | Stefano COMINI |  |
Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 13 | 1:42.934 | 1.418 |
| 14 | 62 | Dušan BORKOVIĆ |  |
GE-Force | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 9 | 1:43.823 | 2.307 |
| 15 | 18 | Duncan ENDE |  |
Icarus Motorsports | SEAT León TCR | 13 | 1:44.472 | 2.956 |