Yvan Muller set the pace in the opening free practice session for the World Touring Car Championship in Macau, posting a time 0.717 seconds faster than Tuenti Racing’s Pepe Oriola.
Click here for the full first practice times.
New champion Muller posted his time of 2:31.121 seconds in the closing minutes of the session, toppling long-time pace-setter Oriola from the top of the timesheets. Münnich Motorsport’s Rob Huff was third fastest, having also spent time at the top during the session.
Tiago Monteiro was the top Honda driver in fourth, ahead of the second RML Chevrolet of Tom Chilton, who was the last driver to be within a second of Muller’s lap time. Chilton had a moment at the final corner on his first lap in the session, brushing the barrier but being able to continue.
James Thompson put his LADA sixth fastest, ahead of Gabriele Tarquini’s Honda in seventh.
Stefano D’Aste was the top BMW driver in his PB Racing-run car in eighth, just over two seconds off the pace. D’Aste also finished the session as the fastest driver in the Yokohama Trophy category.
Marc Basseng ensured that there were two SEAT’s in the top ten with the ninth fastest time for Münnich Motorsport, ahead of Tom Coronel’s ROAL Motorsport BMW who completed the top ten.
Michael Soong, making his WTCC début, was the fastest driver in the EuroSport Asia Trophy in his turbocharged SEAT, ahead of the normally-aspirated Chevrolet of Filipe Clemente de Souza.
There were crashes for Ng Kin Veng, who hit the wall at Police Bend and was collected by Konstantins Calko. Fredy Barth also hit the wall at Fisherman’s Bend but was able to continue in the session.
Free practice two is scheduled to begin at 12:15 (4:15 GMT; 5:15 CET).