Photo: TCR Media

Ferenc Ficza tops the standings in Free Practice 2

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Ferenc Ficza led the field home in Free Practice 2 in Sepang, Malaysia. The Zengo Motorsport driver led yet another SEAT-dominated session, coming home ahead of Craft-Bamboo Lukoil’s Jordi Genè and Target Competition’s Andrea Belicchi.

Russian Craft-Bamboo driver Sergey Afanasyev confirmed a strong form by placing his SEAT in fourth ahead of Target Competition’s Michael Nykjaer. The Dane came home just ahead of team-mate Stefano Comini, who completes an all-SEAT top six.

Despite another dominant showing from the León Racers, the Hondas were closer during the session, with West Coast Racing’s Civic Type-Rs all in the top ten. Gianni Morbidelli led the ‘best of the rest’ pack again, ahead of team-mates Kevin Gleason and Renè Münnich, now able to join the session in style after a troublesome Free Practice 1.

Pepe Oriola, who had topped the standings this morning, managed no further than the last top ten spot, nowhere near his strong FP1 lap times.

While the Audi drivers seemed to start getting to grips with their new cars, with Mikhail Grachev in 12th and team owner Franz Engstler 14th, squeezing Lorenzo Veglia’s SEAT in 13th, Ford could only manage four laps with Diego Romanini, who clocked no real reference times.

The same goes for Opel, with Igor Skuz taking his Opel Astra out on track for four laps as well, but not even crossing the line once in the process, after stalling at the end of the pit lane in FP1 due to electrical issues. Jordi Oriola never took the track today.

TCR action resumes tomorrow at 12.30 local time with the first Qualifying session in the championship’s history.