Rob Huff posted the fastest time in first free practice for the TCR International Series in Macau, with the Brit putting his WestCoast Racing Honda on top in his first ever outing in the car.
Huff, who is one of the most experienced racers around the Circuito da Guia, was comfortably fastest in his Civic, going 1.834 seconds faster than his next closest competitor Jordi Gené in the Craft-Bamboo Racing SEAT León.
Championship contenders Pepe Oriola and Stefano Comini were third and fourth fastest respectively, despite the latter having never raced around Macau previously.
Hong Kong racer Henry Ho was an impressive fifth fastest in his PAS Macau Racing Team Honda Civic, 4.612 seconds off the pace, ahead of Macanese local Rodolfo Ávila in sixth, with both drivers leading the TCR Asia Series field.
Sergey Afanasyev was seventh fastest in his Craft-Bamboo SEAT, ahead of the leading regular WestCoast Racing Honda of Kevin Gleason in eighth.
Series returnees Jordi Oriola and Andrea Belicchi completed the top ten in their Target Competition SEAT León cars.
There were problems for WestCoast Racing’s Gianni Morbidelli in the session, as the Italian failed to post a time due to a power steering failure. Top Run Motorsport’s Alain Menu also failed to post a time in his Subaru, suffering suspected engine problems when he stopped his car on the straight.
A number of drivers were also caught out by the notorious street circuit, most notably Target Competition’s Rafaël Galiana, who had earlier posted the 22nd best time. The Frenchman lost control and hit the barrier head-on at the ‘R bend’ final corner. “The front left part of the chassis is completely bent,” summarised Team Manager Walter Gummerer. “Damage that cannot be repaired.”
Other drivers escaped more lightly; Josh Files spun at the fast Mandarin Bend and broke his rear suspension, Lorenzo Veglia crashed at Turn 16 heading up to Police Bend, whilst newcomers Guillame Cunnington and Keith Chan hit the barriers at Lisboa Bend. A big crash for Douglas Khoo at Maternity Bend also ended the Taiwanese driver’s session.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 27 | Rob HUFF |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 7 | 2:35.036 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 88 | Jordi GENÉ |  |
Team Craft-Bamboo LUKOIL | SEAT León Racer | 9 | 2:36.870 | 1.834 |
| 3 | 74 | Pepe ORIOLA | |
Team Craft-Bamboo LUKOIL | SEAT León Racer | 9 | 2:37.874 | 2.838 |
| 4 | 25 | Stefano COMINI |  |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 10 | 2:38.768 | 3.732 |
| 5 | 29 | Henry HO Wai Kun |  |
PAS Macau Racing Team | Honda Civic TCR | 8 | 2:39.648 | 4.612 |
| 6 | 30 | Rodolfo AVILA | |
Asia Racing Team | SEAT León Racer | 9 | 2:39.911 | 4.875 |
| 7 | 77 | Sergey AFANASYEV |  |
Team Craft-Bamboo LUKOIL | SEAT León Racer | 11 | 2:40.314 | 5.278 |
| 8 | 24 | Kevin GLEASON |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 9 | 2:40.835 | 5.799 |
| 9 | 21 | Jordi ORIOLA | |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 8 | 2:40.870 | 5.834 |
| 10 | 33 | Andrea BELICCHI |  |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 11 | 2:40.939 | 5.903 |
| 11 | 50 | Francisco MORA |  |
Veloso Motorsport | SEAT León Racer | 9 | 2:41.197 | 6.161 |
| 12 | 73 | James NASH | |
Proteam Racing | Ford Focus ST TCR | 8 | 2:41.673 | 6.637 |
| 13 | 28 | Sunny WONG Yat Shing |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 5 | 2:43.036 | 8.000 |
| 14 | 8 | Mikhail GRACHEV | |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Volkswagen Golf TCR | 9 | 2:44.137 | 9.101 |
| 15 | 7 | Lorenzo VEGLIA | |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | SEAT León Racer | 5 | 2:45.120 | 10.084 |
| 16 | 38 | Kenneth LAU | |
Prince Racing Hong Kong | Honda Civic TCR | 8 | 2:45.257 | 10.221 |
| 17 | 98 | Keith CHAN | |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 4 | 2:47.614 | 12.578 |
| 18 | 99 | Frank YU | |
Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León Racer | 9 | 2:47.876 | 12.840 |
| 19 | 76 | Dan WELLS | |
Campos Racing | Opel Astra OPC | 6 | 2:48.161 | 13.125 |
| 20 | 68 | Michael CHOI | |
Prince Racing Hong Kong | Honda Civic TCR | 7 | 2:48.524 | 13.488 |
| 21 | 56 | Samson CHAN | |
Roadstar Racing Team | SEAT León Racer | 9 | 2:49.864 | 14.828 |
| 22 | 35 | Rafaël GALIANA |  |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 6 | 2:50.632 | 15.596 |
| 23 | 49 | Guillame CUNNINGTON | |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | SEAT León Racer | 4 | 2:53.528 | 18.492 |
| 24 | 27 | Robb HOLLAND | |
FRD Ford HK Racing Team | Ford Focus ST | 8 | 2:54.367 | 19.331 |
| 25 | 67 | Johnson HUANG |  |
Roadstar Racing Team | SEAT León Racer | 8 | 3:06.298 | 31.262 |
| 26 | 65 | Douglas KHOO |  |
Niza Racing | SEAT León Racer | 5 | 3:07.100 | 32.064 |
| 27 | 63 | Sam LOK Chi Kit | |
Asia Racing Team | SEAT León Racer | 2 | 3:14.724 | 39.688 |
| 28 | 14 | Josh FILES | |
Campos Racing | Opel Astra OPC | 1 | No time | N/A |
| 29 | 52 | Alain MENU | |
Top Run Motorsport | Subaru STi TCR | 1 | No time | N/A |