Ferenc Ficza beat local hero Davit Kajaia to the top time in first practice for the TCR International Series in Georgia, with the Zele Racing driver two tenths clear at the top.
Ficza, who had earlier on Friday been fastest in the unofficial testing session, continued to be the pace setter at the Rustavi International Motorpark, with the Hungarian hitting the top of the times after 20 minutes with as time of 1:41.850, which would be good enough to keep him on top for the remainder of the half-hour practice.
Kajaia was second quickest after improving his time with just one minute to go, the GE-Force driver having been the early pace setter and continually within the top five throughout the session.
Attila Tassi made it two Hungarians in the top three with the third-best time, 0.264 seconds behind his compatriot in his M1RA Honda Civic.
Leopard Racing’s Jean-Karl Vernay was fourth fastest, whilst Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Hugo Valente was fifth after a late improvement. The Frenchman had been at the bottom of the times for most of the session.
Pepe Oriola was sixth quickest behind his team-mate, whilst Roberto Colciago was seventh, despite the Italian suffering from a spin after ten minutes.
The top ten drivers were covered by just under a second, with 11th placed Dušan Borković being exactly one second behind Ficza.
Second practice takes place at 12:10 local time (09:10 BST, 10:10 CEST).
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | BEST |
| 1 | 55 | Ferenc FICZA |  |
Zele Racing | SEAT León TCR | 11 | 1:41.850 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 16 | Davit KAJAIA |  |
GE-Force | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 10 | 1:42.087 | 0.237 |
| 3 | 9 | Attila TASSI | |
M1RA | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 13 | 1:42.114 | 0.264 |
| 4 | 2 | Jean-Karl VERNAY |  |
Leopard Racing Team WRT | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 10 | 1:42.334 | 0.484 |
| 5 | 7 | Hugo VALENTE | |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 6 | 1:42.602 | 0.752 |
| 6 | 74 | Pepe ORIOLA |  |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 12 | 1:42.609 | 0.759 |
| 7 | 5 | Roberto COLCIAGO |  |
M1RA | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 12 | 1:42.678 | 0.828 |
| 8 | 10 | Gianni MORBIDELLI | |
West Coast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 11 | 1:42.727 | 0.877 |
| 9 | 70 | Mat’o HOMOLA |  |
DG Sport Compétition | Opel Astra TCR | 14 | 1:42.734 | 0.884 |
| 10 | 1 | Stefano COMINI |  |
Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 12 | 1:42.781 | 0.931 |
| 11 | 62 | Dušan BORKOVIĆ |  |
GE-Force | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 11 | 1:42.850 | 1.000 |
| 12 | 54 | James NASH |  |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 10 | 1:43.233 | 1.383 |
| 13 | 21 | Giacomo ALTOÈ | |
West Coast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 10 | 1:43.260 | 1.410 |
| 14 | 23 | Pierre-Yves CORTHALS |  |
DG Sport Compétition | Opel Astra TCR | 13 | 1:43.351 | 1.501 |
| 15 | 18 | Duncan ENDE |  |
Icarus Motorsports | SEAT León TCR | 10 | 1:45.489 | 3.639 |
| 16 | 15 | Shota ABKHAZAVA | |
GE-Force | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 6 | 1:50.972 | 9.122 |