Photo: TCR Europe

Mike Halder strikes late to go fastest in second free practice at Spa

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Mike Halder made the most of a drying Spa-Francorchamps track to emerge as the fastest driver in TCR Europe Series second practice.

The ALM Motorsport Honda Civic Type-R driver produced a best time of 2:30.965 which put him just under a second clear of team-mate Max Hart.

FP1 pacesetter Nicolas Taylor was third quickest in his PMA Motorsport Audi RS 3 LMS.

With conditions different to what the crews experienced during the morning session, the times improved significantly throughout the 20-minute practice.

TCR Europe Series points leader Alex Ley exchanged fastest laps with Tiago Pernía early on before Halder went to the top of the times for the first time approaching the halfway stage.

As was the case in the opening session, track limits proved to be a talking point throughout the session, with multiple times being deleted.

Ruben Volt, who finished FP1 down in 18th had been one of the quickest drivers in his Honda Civic but was twice demoted to outside the top 10 after going too wide at turn 10.

There were no such issues for Halder who improved twice more before the end of the session, the German’s final lap-time moving him almost a full second ahead of Hart, who consolidate the Honda’s apparent advantage in second place.

Taylor was the best of the rest in third, just under a tenth clear of fellow Audi driver Santiago Concepción, with Adam Shepherd rounding out the top five in his Monlau Motorsport Cupra León VZ TCR.

Junesung Park was sixth quickest for Solite Indigo Racing, bouncing back from a difficult morning session in his Hyundai Elantra N TCR, with Stian Paulsen setting the seventh fastest time ahead of Ley.

Having been one of the drivers to fall foul of track limits abuse during the session, Marco Butti had to make do with the ninth quickest time in his Monlau Motorsport Honda, while Junui Park was 10th.

Outside of the top 10 but still in the mix for qualifying on Saturday, Nicola Baldan showed decent pace in his PMA Motorsport Audi, as did Jac Constable in the JH Racing Audi.

Next for TCR Europe is qualifying which is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning at 12:10 CEST.