Slovakia Ring, Tests: Gabriele Tarquini sets testing pace

Gabriele Tarquini and LADA were quickest in a closely-fought Friday test session at the second event of the FIA World Touring Car Championship season, with four different manufacturers in the top five ahead of WTCC Race of Slovakia.

Honda and Polestar also took turns at the top of the Slovakia Ring timing screens, while defending champion José María López was fifth in the best of the Citroëns.

In sunny and breezy conditions a late lap of 2m04.911s from Tarquini put him 0.211 seconds ahead of Honda’s Norbert Michelisz, while Nicky Catsburg completed a strong session for LADA in third. Thed Björk and Fredrik Ekblom made it a one-two for the Volvo S60 with a couple of minutes left on the clock but ended up fourth and seventh respectively, split by López, Tiago Monteiro (Honda) and Hugo Valente (LADA). Both Swedes are racing in Slovakia for the first time.

France Opening Race winner Rob Huff was ninth in the third of the Honda Civics while John Filippi was the best Chevrolet RML Cruze driver and best WTCC Trophy contender in P10, 0.061 seconds ahead of his new coach for this year, Yvan Muller, the four-time WTCC champion and works Citroën pilot.

James Thompson was 16th on his return to the WTCC after a year away, deputising for René Münnich in the ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Cruze.