Viktor Andersson puts Lynk & Co on top in first TCR Europe practice at Barcelona

Viktor Andersson was fastest in the first practice session of the TCR Europe finale at Barcelona.

The MA:GP driver was the very last person on track in his Lynk & Co 03 TCR, with many choosing to pit before the chequered flag waved on the half-hour session but actually completing more laps than Andersson, who did just 11.

A 1:50.182 set midway through his time on track put Andersson on top by 0.036 seconds over Comtoyou Racing’s title contender Kobe Pauwels, with Comtoyou drivers filling the next three places.

Nicola Baldan was 0.416s off the pace in third, John Filippi was 0.515s back in fourth and points leader Tom Coronel was 0.789s slower than Andersson in fifth.

RC2 Racing’s Rubén Fernández and two more Comtoyou drivers made it seven Audis in the top eight, with Aggressive Team Italia’s Levente Losonczy the nest best non-Audi driver 1.279s off the pace in his Hyundai Elantra N TCR.

Pepe Oriola was 12th fastest on his return to TCR Europe with RC2 Racing.

Although Aggresive Team Italia’s team boss Mauro Guastamacchia was the slowest driver by some margin, 3.711s off the pace down in 13th, he did complete more laps than anyone else.

There had been 15 drivers on the entry list, but Target Competition’s Dušan Borković was a no-show and the Audi-driving Felice Jelmini and Ivan Peklin failed to take to track.

Next up is the second practice session at 14:16 CEST.