Hungaroring, FP1: López flies in the Hungarian rain

José María López underlined his status as one of the world’s best touring car drivers when he set the pace in a rain-hit Free Practice 1 for MOL Group WTCC Race of Hungary.

‘Pechito’, driving a Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, lapped the slippery 4.381-kilometre Hungaroring in a fastest time of 2m11.930s with Gabriele Tarquini a strong second in his revamped Honda Civic WTCC, 1.597s slower.

Tarquini’s fellow Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team driver Tiago Monteiro was third fastest with Yvan Muller fourth, home hero Norbert Michelisz fifth and the top Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy contender, with Ma Qing Hua completing the top six. Stefano D’Aste, Mehdi Bennani, Tom Chilton and Tom Coronel filled the top 10.

Seventeen drivers took part in Free Practice 1, the first timed track activity for rounds five and six of the FIA World Touring Car Championship. Free Practice 2 begins at 11h30 local time. Click here to see the full classification.

Rain equals WTCC Free Practice 1 pain for Loeb

Sébastien Loeb proved that event the best drivers can get caught out in difficult conditions when he crashed close to the start of the rain-hit …

Sébastien Loeb proved that event the best drivers can get caught out in difficult conditions when he crashed close to the start of the rain-hit Free Practice 1 for MOL Group WTCC Race of Hungary.

Loeb, second in the points behind Citroën team-mate and reigning WTCC champion José María López, slid off at the first corner of the Hungaroring and struck the tyre wall on the outside of the turn, inflicting damage to the front-left corner of his C-Elysée WTCC.

“The grip was really low in the conditions and I crashed into the tyres,” Loeb explained. “I prefer to stay on the road but it’s like this and now I miss one session, which is not so good.”