Photo: WTCC Media

Yvan Muller leads Thed Björk in second China practice session

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This year’s already confirmed WTCC champion Yvan Muller was fastest of all in the second practice session at the Shanghai International Circuit, finishing ahead of this year’s STCC champion Thed Björk, who again impressed in the Volvo C30 of Volvo Polestar Racing.

Pepe Oriola, in his repaired Chevrolet run by the Tuenti Racing Team, after suffering with electrical problems in FP1, set the first benchmark in the 30 minute session, which was then quickly eclipsed by Björk, who set two laps in the high 1:55s to go fastest of all.

Björk held the top of the time sheets for the first 20 minutes of the session before the RML Chevrolet of Yvan Muller went out and set a time of 1:55.508 to go fastest of all, with team-mate Tom Chilton just four-tenths behind in third.

The Lada of James Thompson was quick again, with the British driver finishing the session fourth fastest just over half a second down on Muller’s time.

Alex MacDowall was fifth quickest in the red bamboo-engineering Chevrolet, and therefore the fastest of the Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy competitors. MacDowall was just ahead of team-mate and independents’ trophy rival James Nash.

The Hondas slipped in pace compared to FP1, with Tiago Monteiro this time the fastest in eighth, just ahead of the fastest of the SEATs which was Münnich Motorsport’s Rob Huff in ninth.

Mehdi Bennani’s Proteam Racing BMW ran into trouble again and set no timed laps during the session, while the Chevrolet Cruze of Jerónimo Badaraco stopped at the exit of Turn 13 which brought out the yellow flags for a few minutes during the middle part of the session, affecting several drivers’ fast runs.

Qualifying is up next and gets underway at 14:10 CST.