Photo: WTCC Media

Yvan Muller on top in first test session in China

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RML’s Yvan Muller was fastest in the first test session at the Shanghai International Circuit in China. Muller’s best time of 1:55.642 was just over a second down on the qualifying record set last year by his then Chevrolet team-mate Alain Menu.

Muller set his improved time late in the session to end the session fastest, ahead of the ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC of Tom Coronel, which just under two-tenths of a second slower, which is running 60kg lighter than the Chevrolet Cruzes this weekend due to the compensation weight allocation.

Muller’s RML team-mate Tom Chilton was third, four-tenths of a second behind, with Pepe Oriola’s Tuenti Racing Team Chevrolet fourth.

James Thompson was fifth fastest on his first outing in China in the Lada Granta Sport, though the 39-year-old hit a tyre stack at Turn 4B and pushing it on to the circuit just before the end of the session, bringing out the yellow flags and ending a few drivers’ final runs. Thompson finished ahead of Alex MacDowall’s bamboo-engineering Chevrolet, who was the fastest of the Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy runners.

Gabriele Tarquini was the best placed of the Hondas in seventh ahead of team-mate Tiago Monteiro. The two works Honda Civics were just within a second of Muller’s pace.

Rickard Rydell was 11th fastest on his return to the WTCC in the Nika Racing Chevrolet Cruze, and 1.4 seconds off the pace. Rydell was just in front of the two fastest SEATs, with Marc Basseng leading team-mate Rob Huff in 12th and 13th positions in the black Münnich Motorsport cars.

Thed Björk was 15th fastest in the Volvo C30 of Polestar Racing on the Swedish manufacturer’s return to the WTCC, whilst Filipe de Souza was the fastest of the drivers entered for the Eurosport Asia Trophy, setting the 25th fastest time in his China Dragon Racing Chevrolet Cruze LT.

Proteam Racing’s Mehdi Bennani was unable to set a time in his Proteam Racing BMW, with the team working to resolve an issue on the 320 TC’s turbo, meaning Liqui Moly Team Engstler’s Henry Ho brought up the rear of the field in 30th place, just under ten seconds off Muller’s time in his BMW 320si.

The next session is Free Practice 1 which takes place at 08:00 CST on Saturday.