Photo: TCR World Tour

Norbert Michelisz heads first shakedown at The Bend

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Norbert Michelisz headed the joint FIA TCR World Tour and TCR Australia shakedown session at The Bend in Australia as the overseas teams received their cars from the transport containers earlier than previously feared.

The reigning champion lapped the Australian circuit in 1:55.7080 and was two tenths faster than team-mate Mikel Azcona.

Reigning TCR Australia champion Josh Buchan made it three Hyundais in the top three, claiming the third fastest time, nine tenths from Michelisz.

Ignacio Montenegro was fastest of the Honda drivers in fourth place ahead of French Cupra driver Aurélien Comte, 0.8662 and 1.0351 seconds adrift respectively.

Honda driver Esteban Guerrieri, who is placed second overall currently, was sixth fastest ahead of Hyundai driver Néstor Girolami.

HMO Customer Racing driver and TCR debutee Ryan MacMillan was second fastest of the TCR Australia drivers in eighth place, heading the four Lynk & Co Cyan Racing drivers of Santiago Urrutia, Yann Ehrlacher, Ma Qing Hua and Thed Björk.

Next up for the FIA TCR World Tour and TCR Australia field is the first free practice session, starting at 07:20 local time/23:50 CEST.