Practice 2: here is the champion

The reigning World Champion has risen to the top in the second free practice. In the second part of the session Andy Priaulx completed a lap of the Macau circuit in 2:34.335 at the wheel of his BMW Team UK car.

“I’m quite happy. We have found a very good balance,” said the man from Guernesey.

A pair of Chevrolets followed. After being the fastest for most of the session, Alain Menu was ousted by Priaulx by only 0.143 seconds, with Nicola Larini third, 0.250 off. In fact, the top nine drivers were separated by just half a second.

Rickard Rydell once again led the SEAT Sport squad and posted the fourth best time overall.

Rydell’s team-mate Gabriele Tarquini only managed a few minutes of the session before crashing at Moorish Hill, which damaged his front right tyre and led to the red flags being deployed as the León limped back to the pits.

“It was my mistake. The same place where I crashed last year,” he admitted.

Another driver who suffered from a crash was Jan Magnussen: “It was a brain fade. A stupid mistake that may have serious consequences, because it cost me some important track time.”

Dirk and Jörg Müller set the 5th and 7th best times. The pair was split on the timesheet by GR Asia independent driver Tom Coronel who is showing his experience on the Macau track.

Duncan Huisman, Augusto Farfus and André Couto appear to still be searching for that extra something as their were only 14th, 15th and 17th quickest of the field.