Photo: WTCC Media

Menu leads Dahlgren and Turkington in China

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Alain Menu topped the first test session at the Shanghai Tianma circuit in China. The Swiss driver topped a close session with Volvo’s Robert Dahlgren just 0.039 seconds behind and Colin Turkington a further 0.86 adrift.

The session was the WTCC drivers’ first taste of the short and twisty circuit, with corner 12 proving especially tricky with Franz Engstler, Kristian Poulsen, Norbert Michelisz and Mehdi Bennani spinning off the track.

Chevrolet duo Rob Huff and Yvan Muller claimed positions four and five ahead of Japan race two winner Tom Coronel’s BMW 320 TC in sixth.

Kristian Poulsen was the second fastest BMW driver for Liqui Moly Team Engstler in seventh ahead of team-mate Franz Engstler, with the Bamboo Engineering Chevrolet of Darryl O’Young ninth fastest.

Proteam Racing BMW driver Javier Villa completed the top ten, 1.488 seconds slower than Menu.

The first free practice session is next at 02.10 CET (9.10 local time) tomorrow.