Jean-Karl Vernay tops opening Monza practice by half a second

Leopard Lukoil Team’s Jean-Karl Vernay was fastest in the opening TCR Europe practice session at Monza, topping the timesheets by over half a second from Maxime Potty and series debutant Fabrizio Giovanardi.

The 2017 TCR International Series champion set the early pace in the half-hour session, being the first driver to dip below the two minute mark at the 3.6-mile circuit.

He then went on to set a 1:58.783 in the final third of the session, and finished up 0.538 ahead of Spa-Francorchamps podium finisher Potty, who also improved late in the session.

Giovanardi, who makes his first appearance in TCR Europe this weekend, was third fastest in his Mulsanne Racing Alfa Romeo Giulietta, albeit seven tenths down on Vernay’s time.

In fourth position was Mikel Azcona, who currently sits second in the championship standings, two points adrift of leader Dušan Borković.

Fellow CUPRA runner and TCR Italy points leader Salvatore Tavano completed the top five ahead of standings leader Borković, who led the M1RA Hyundai of Dániel Nagy.

TCR UK race winner Ollie Taylor was next in his Pyro Motorsport Honda Civic Type R FK7, ahead of Stian Paulsen, with Danny Kroes rounding out the top ten.

Notably, Josh Files failed to set a time, spending the majority of the session in the pit lane likely repairing a mechanical issue after he slowed at turn six five minutes into opening practice.

Session results

POS	NO	DRIVER	NAT	ENTRANT	CAR	LAPS	TIME	GAP
1	69	Jean-Karl VERNAY		Leopard Lukoil Team	Audi RS3 LMS TCR	10	1:58.783	0.000
2	88	Maxime POTTY		Comtoyou Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	12	1:59.321	0.538
3	18	Fabrizio GIOVANARDI		Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	10	1:59.519	0.736
4	25	Mikel AZCONA		PCR Sport	CUPRA TCR	15	1:59.591	0.808
5	44	Salvatore TAVANO		Scuderia Girasole	CUPRA TCR	14	2:00.085	1.302
6	62	Dušan BORKOVIĆ		Target Competition	Hyundai i30 N TCR	14	2:00.132	1.349
7	999	Dániel NAGY		M1RA	Hyundai i30 N TCR	12	2:00.178	1.395
8	32	Ollie TAYLOR		Pyro Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR	12	2:00.238	1.455
9	34	Stian PAULSEN		Stian Paulsen Racing	CUPRA TCR	8	2:00.403	1.620
10	38	Danny KROES		PCR Sport	CUPRA TCR	12	2:00.555	1.772
11	3	Cosimo BARBERINI		Race Republic	Subaru WRX STi TCR	13	2:00.562	1.779
12	15	Peter TERTING		Autodis Racing by Piro Sports	Hyundai i30 N TCR	13	2:00.789	2.006
13	9	Attila TASSI		Hell Energy Racing with KCMG	Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR	13	2:00.842	2.059
14	8	Reece BARR		Target Competition	Hyundai i30 N TCR	14	2:00.950	2.167
15	42	Stefano COMINI		Autodis Racing by THX	Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR	13	2:01.031	2.248
16	94	Kris RICHARD		Target Competition	Hyundai i30 N TCR	11	2:01.052	2.269
17	23	Francisco ABREU		Sports & You	Peugeot 308 TCR	13	2:01.228	2.445
18	16	Nicola BALDAN		M1RA	Hyundai i30 N TCR	12	2:01.372	2.589
19	11	Jens Reno MØLLER		Reno Racing	Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR	3	2:01.477	2.694
20	17	Martin RYBA		Brutal Fish Racing Team	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	12	2:01.693	2.910
21	10	Viktor DAVIDOVSKY		PSS Racing Team	Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR	15	2:01.724	2.941
22	77	Roberto RUSSO		Race Republic – Top Run Motorsport	Subaru WRX STi TCR	9	2:01.728	2.945
23	63	Giovanni ALTOÈ		Pit Lane Competizioni	Audi RS3 LMS TCR DSG	12	2:01.742	2.959
24	79	José Manuel SAPAG		Baporo Motorsport	CUPRA TCR	10	2:01.793	3.010
25	7	Igor STEFANOVSKI		Stefanovski Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	12	2:01.798	3.015
26	630	Benjamin LESSENNES		Autodis Racing by THX	Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR	12	2:01.817	3.034
27	99	Josh FILES		Hell Energy Racing with KCMG	Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR	2	19:54.433	55.650