Photo: TCR Italy

Niclas Taylor claims close Misano premiere pole position

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Reigning champion Nicolas Taylor claimed pole position for the first TCR Italy race of 2025 at Misano, beating Alex Ley by a slim margin.

The Canadian Audi driver lapped the Italian circuit in 1:39.985, beating British Hyundai driver Ley by just 0.071 seconds.

Gabriele Covini and Michele Imberti made it three Hyundais in the top four, 0.108 and 0.224 seconds behind respectively in positions three and four.

Matteo Poloni took his Gear Works-prepared Audi RS 3 LMS to fifth place, 0.242 seconds from Taylor’s pole time.

Jacopo Cimenes was fastest of the Honda drivers in fifth place for MM Motorsport, three tenths from pole.

Denis Babuin claimed seventh place on the grid ahead of Audi colleague and last year’s bronze medalist Nicola Baldan who rounded off the top eight, 0.447 seconds off pace.

The first race of the premiere weekend starts at 12:05 CEST on Saturday.