Photo: FIA ETCR

Adrien Tambay and Mattias Ekström lead opening practice at Jarama

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Team Cupra EKS has dominated the first free practice sessions at Jarama, host of the third round of the 2022 FIA ETCR season, with Adrien Tambay and Mattias Ekström leading their respective sessions.

Tambay, set the fastest lap time in the Pool Fast free practice with 1:40.125, a full 1.229 seconds ahead of Norbert Michelisz of Hyundai.

Bruno Spengler was third for Romeo Ferraris, with Cupra’s Jordi Gené in fourth place, 1.5 seconds off the pace.

Luca Filippi (Alfa Romeo) and Jean-Karl Vernay (Hyundai) completed the classification.

Ekström set the fastest lap time of the day with 1:39.330 during the second practice session, 0.858 seconds ahead of team-mate Tom Blomqvist. Hyundai’s Mikel Azcona was third, nine-tenths off the pace.

Maxime Martin was fastest of the Giulia ETCR drivers, clocking the fourth fastest lap time, 1.1 seconds behind Ekstróm, with Hyundai’s Nicky Catsburg in fifth, 1.5 seconds off the pace. Romeo Ferraris’ Giovanni Venturini closed the classification.

The FIA ETCR returns to the track on Saturday morning for the Pool Fast qualifying session at 09:30 CEST.