Photo: WTCC Media

Yvan Muller fastest in red flag hit Suzuka practice

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WTCC championship leader, Yvan Muller, claimed the fastest time in a red flag hit practice session at Suzuka, ahead of Pepe Oriola and Tiago Monteiro.

The RML driver, who is poised to clinch his fourth WTCC drivers’ title this weekend at the Japanese circuit, set his fastest time of 54.081s in the closing stages of the session; a mere 0.22s ahead of Pepe Oriola, who did the same in his Tuenti Racing run Chevrolet to push Monteiro’s Honda to third.

James Thompson was fourth in the best placed Lada Granta, with Rob Huff and Monteiro’s Honda team-mate, Gabriele Tarquini, rounding out the top six.

The session was characterised by three red flags, with the first being caused by Filipe de Souza going off at Turn 8, in his China Dragon run Chevrolet.

Norbert Michelisz and Lada’s Mikhail Kozlovskiy also brought out red flags later in the session.

The Hungarian lost the back of his Zengo Honda under braking for the final turn, whilst Kozlovskiy beached his Granta in Turn 7 at the session’s halfway point.

Hiroki Yoshimoto, who replaces Michel Nykjær at the Nika Racing Chevrolet squad, finished 14th as the best of the Japanese drivers.