Moscow Raceway, test: Yvan Muller sets the pace

WTCC competitors had their first taste of the Moscow Raceway during a 30 minute test session that took place on a drying track, following a rainy morning.

Yvan Muller set the fastest time by the end of the session, clocking a last lap of 1:43.598 that demoted Tom Coronel’s 1:43.756 to second. Also on his last lap, Gabriele Tarquini was timed at 1:43.935 that was good enough to steal third place from Mehdi Bennani (1:44.187).

Rob Huff ranked in fifth (1:44.234), ahead of Darryl O’Young (1:44.428), Tiago Monteiro (1:44.577) and Pepe Oriola (1:44.611).

James Thompson placed his LADA in ninth (1:44.899) while James Nash rounded out the top ten (1:44.903).

As the track was drying and drivers were getting their bearings, lap times improved significantly. The fastest laps’ progression saw 1:45.346 (Muller), 1:45.108 (Muller), 1:44.352 (Tarquini), 1:44.187 (Bennani), 1:43.756 (Coronel), 1:43.598 (Muller).

No incidents were reported, except for Coronel’s spin at Turn 15 on his first lap.