Photo: Honda

Esteban Guerrieri tops afternoon session of Thursday Barcelona test

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Esteban Guerrieri finished the afternoon segment of the first day of the official World Touring Car Cup pre-season test at the Circuit de Catalunya on top of the time sheets, following up on his team-mate’s quick pace in the morning.

The Münnich Motorsport Honda driver was seven-tenths of a second clear of WRT Audi driver Jean-Karl Vernay, with the session stopping early due to red flag after an off for Team Mulsanne’s Kevin Ceccon.

Gordon Shedden was third fastest in the second of the WRT Audis, with Ceccon winding up fourth fastest in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce.

The gaps then began to increase significantly, with it being highly apparent drivers were not working to set fast times by this point, with Sébastien Loeb Racing’s Rob Huff fifth quickest, 1.8 seconds off the pace.

Tom Coronel was sixth fastest in the Comtoyou Racing Cupra TCR, with the Volkswagen of Mehdi Bennani seventh.

Ma Qing Hua was eighth in the second of the Mulsanne Alfa Romeos, with Comtoyou Racing Audi driver Niels Langeveld and Cyan Racing driver Yvan Muller in the Lynk & Co 03 TCR completing the top ten, 2.5 seconds back.

Only Gabriele Tarquini took part in the afternoon session for the BRC Racing Hyundai team, finishing 15th fastest, 2.9 seconds down.

The official test continues tomorrow from 09:00 CET.