Hyundai’s Gabriele Tarquini set the pace in second practice for the TCR Europe Trophy at the Adria International Raceway, as the Italian saw off a challenge from Target Competition duo Josh Files and Giacomo Altoè.
Tin-top expert Tarquini got to the top of the times at the half-way stage of the session, putting in a time of 1 minute 20.260 seconds to go around three tenths slower than the best time in the morning’s foggy first session.
Brit Files improved inside the final five minutes of the half-hour session to take second, a mere 0.003 seconds slower than Tarquini, whilst the session’s early pace-setter, 17-year-old Altoè, ended up in third behind his fellow Honda racer Files.
Luca Engstler was the leading Volkswagen driver in fourth, ahead of V-Action Racing’s Luigi Ferrara in fifth after a strong performance in the Alfa Romeo.
The second Liqui Moly Team Engstler Volkswagen of Florian Thoma was sixth quickest, just over half a second off the pace.
Plamen Kralev, who is perhaps better known for competing in the ETCC, was a strong seventh in his Audi RS3, with the 44-year-old Bulgarian only completing five laps in the session.
Maxime Potty had been the early session pace-setter, but the Belgian ended up in eighth in his WRT-run Volkswagen, ahead of circuit owner Giovanni Altoè in ninth.
TCR Iberico champion Francisco Abreu rounded out the top ten, just under a second off the pace.
Russian racer Denis Girogoriev caused a short yellow-flag period when he spun his SEAT León into the gravel at Turn 9 with 12 minutes left in the session, requiring a recovery vehicle to remove the stranded car.
Qualifying is scheduled to take place at 15:00 CEST (14:00 BST).
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 30 | Gabriele TARQUINI |  |
BRC Racing Team | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 8 | 1:20.260 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 99 | Josh FILES |  |
Target Competition | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 11 | 1:20.263 | 0.003 |
| 3 | 21 | Giacomo ALTOÈ | |
Target Competition | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 11 | 1:20.393 | 0.133 |
| 4 | 8 | Luca ENGSTLER |  |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 9 | 1:20.523 | 0.263 |
| 5 | 16 | Luigi FERRARA | |
V-Action Racing Team | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 16 | 1:20.529 | 0.269 |
| 6 | 39 | Florian THOMA |  |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 10 | 1:20.779 | 0.519 |
| 7 | 44 | Plamen KRALEV |  |
Kraf Racing | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 5 | 1:20.870 | 0.610 |
| 8 | 88 | Maxime POTTY |  |
WRT Racing Team | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 11 | 1:20.965 | 0.705 |
| 9 | 52 | Givoanni ALTOÈ | |
Giovanni Altoè | Volkswagen Golf GTi DSG | 11 | 1:21.144 | 0.884 |
| 10 | 11 | Francisco ABREU |  |
Team NOVADRIVER | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 10 | 1:21.183 | 0.923 |
| 11 | 7 | Aurélien COMTE |  |
DG Sport Compétition | Peugeot 308 Racing Cup | 17 | 1:21.222 | 0.962 |
| 12 | 10 | Antti BURI |  |
LMS Racing | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 10 | 1:21.443 | 1.183 |
| 13 | 5 | Kevin GIACON | |
Teconodom | Opel Astra TCR | 10 | 1:21.758 | 1.498 |
| 14 | 77 | Denis GRIGORIEV |  |
Innocenti – AMG Motorsport | SEAT León TCR DSG | 8 | 1:22.222 | 1.962 |
| 15 | 53 | Sandro PELATTI | |
Sandro Pelatti | Volkswagen Golf GTi DSG | 16 | 1:22.237 | 1.977 |
| 16 | 15 | Lev TOLKACHEV | |
Innocenti – AMG Motorsport | SEAT León TCR DSG | 12 | 1:22.657 | 2.397 |
| 17 | 4 | Olli KANGAS | |
LMS Racing | SEAT León TCR | 14 | 1:22.666 | 2.406 |
| 18 | 54 | Ermanno DIONISIO | |
Ermanno Dionisio | Audi RS3 LMS TCR DSG | 11 | 1:22.852 | 2.592 |
| 19 | 76 | Daniele CAPPELLARI | |
Daniele Cappellari | SEAT León TCR DSG | 16 | 1:23.810 | 3.550 |
| 20 | 55 | Giovanni BERTON | |
Giovanni Berton | Audi RS3 LMS TCR DSG | 0 | No Time | N/A |