Hungaroring, FP1: Muller smashes record

The WTCC track record at the Hungaroring was smashed from the very first session as the five fastest drivers were able to better Alain Menu’s 1:56.546 from last year.

Halfway through the 30-minute practice Yvan Muller and his Chevrolet Cruze posted the fastest laps of 1:55.594, improving the old record by nearly one second. Gabriele Tarquini’s SEAT León was only six hundredths of a second slower, finishing as second fastest with the time of 1:55.659 and closely followed by Menu’s Chevrolet (1:55.783).

Just before the end of the session, local hero Norbert Michelisz completed a lap in 1:56.143 and jumped to fourth, ahead of Rob Huff (1:56.286).

Tom Coronel, Darryl O’Young, Pepe Oriola, Mehdi Bennani e and Franz Engstler rounded up the top ten.

Ford and LADA cars struggled to be on the pace. Team Aon’s Tom Chilton and James Nash ranked only 17th and 20th, with James Thompson’s LADA Granta in 19th.

A few drivers received warning from the race control for trespassing the track limits; among them was Stefano D’Aste who was shown the black-and-white flag.