Pracise 2: Thompson tops

James Thompson placed Alfa Romeo on top of the timesheet clocking a fastest lap of 1:36.151 a few minutes before the session expired.

Like in the previous practice SEAT drivers stayed on top for most of the time: again Tiago Monteiro was the first one to break the 1:37. barrier completing a lap in 1:36.982. Halfway through the session Tom Coronel managed to oust him clocking a 1:36.863 that remained the fastest lap until the final stages.

With only 5 minutes to go, Jörg Müller improved dramatically with a lap of 1:36.353, beating Coronel’s by more than half-a-second. His joy did not last long as Thompson crossed the line immediately behind and set the fastest lap for good.

Just before the chequered flag dropped, Pierre-Yves Corthals set an impressive 1:36.722 which was the third fastest lap overall and the best for the Independents’ category. Corthals emerged also as the fastest SEAT driver in the session, demoting Coronel and Monteiro to fourth and fifth.

In spite of being loaded with the maximum ballast, Nicola Larini’s Lacetti was the fastest Chevrolet, in 7th position (1:37.110).

Augusto Farfus and Gabriele Tarquini completed only 3 and 5 timed laps respectively before going off the track. The Brazilian youngster remained stranded in the gravel trap at the Bilstein Chicane, while the Italian lost control of his car at the Shell Esses. Peter Terting’s session also had a premature end when he went off at Turn 7.