Josh Files edges second free practice at Monza

Josh Files edged out out a closely-fought session on track top the times in second free practice for the latest rounds of the TCR Europe season at Monza.

The Briton had failed to set a representative time in FP1 having spent much of the session sat in the pits in his KCMG-run Honda Civic Type R but made up for the lost track time by leading the way ahead of the Audi of Jean-Karl Vernay.

Files posted a best time of 1:58.886 in the closing stages of the session to edge Vernay off top spot by just 0.003s, although the time posted by the Leopard Racing Team driver in heading FP1 remained the quickest lap of the day.

Behind the top two, Mikel Azcona was third quickest at the wheel of his Cupra and nearly two tenths of a second up on title rival Dušan Borković, who he trails coming into the weekend by two points.

Maxime Potty’s Volkswagen Golf, running without any compensation weight this weekend, was fifth best ahead of Hyundai pair Kris Richard and Reece Barr, with the top eight rounded out by debutant Jose Manuel Sapag.

The Argentine racer had been near the bottom of the times in the opening session, but lapped little more than a second off the pace in his Cupra, with the Alfa Romeo of Fabrizio Giovanardi completing the top ten.

Giovanardi was the final driver to break the two minute barrier during the session; something that had only been managed by the top four in FP1.