Nelson Panciatici tops the first session of 2019 for M Racing

Nelson Panciatici was fastest of all on his TCR Europe Touring Car Series debut, leading the way in the first free practice session of the weekend at the Hungaroring in his M Racing Hyundai i30 N NTCR.

The Frenchman topped the time sheets just before the half-way mark in the 2018 WTCR teams’ title-winning i30 N TCR, now run as M Racing this year in the TCR Europe series. Panciatici’s time of 1:53.761 was set on a drying track, and he led a Hyundai top three lockout, as he was followed by the M1RA Hyundai of Daniel Nagy, and the Target Competition Hyundai of Josh Files.

Fourth fastest was the Comtoyou Racing Audi RS 3 LMS of newcomer Gilles Magnus, with Jessica Bäckman was fifth fastest in her Target Competition Hyundai, just two-tenths off of Panciatici’s pace.

Mat’o Homola, making his TCR Europe series debut with Target, was sixth, while Gianni Morbidelli, also joining Homola in the move back from the WTCR to the top TCR family championship, was seventh quickest in his WestCoast Racing Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR.

Andreas Bäckman was eighth fastest in his Target Hyundai ahead of the M1RA Hyundai of Luca Engstler, meaning seven Hyundais in the top ten, with the Peugeot 308TCR of Aurélien Comte tenth in the DG Sport Competition entry.

Just outside the top ten was Serbia’s Dusan Borkovic in his Target Hyundai. The best-placed of the Hondas was the Boutsen Ginion Racing Honda Civic TCR of Stéphane Lémeret in 15th, with John Filippi the best-placed of the Renaults in 18th.

Czech driver Jáchym Galáš was the quickest of the TCR Eastern Europe class drivers in 27th in his GT2 Motorsport Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR.

The session was briefly held under a full course yellow when the ASK Vesnic Cupra of Milovan Vesnic stopped at Turn 9.

Free Practice 2 is scheduled for 13:45 CEST.