Alain Menu sets fastest time in 1st practise

Instead of a dominant session by SEAT it was Chevrolet driver Alain Menu who set a surprising fastest lap during the first of todays practise sessions. The Swiss driver was just 0.067s faster than the second man, Jordi Gené in a SEAT Léon TDI. Menu wasn’t the only man to bring a halt to SEAT’s expected dominance. Dutchman Tom Coronel took third place. Eventhough he’s driving a SEAT Léon as well, his car is powered by a petrol engine.

The other SEAT front runners of yesterday, Tiago Monteiro and Gabriele Tarquini, now had to settle for fourth and sixth place respectively. They were seperated by Chevrolet’s Nicola Larini. Again it was Pierre-Yves Corthals who suprised with a seventh position, just 0.009s behind Tarquini.

Just as in yesterdays session, the BMW’s had a lot of problems with the twisty Puebla track. Alessandro Zanardi was the fastest BMW man in eight, despite spinning of the track, damaging his car.