Free Practice: Muller, Priaulx star

Muller's lap in the cooler first session was the quickest of the morning even though the Vauxhall Motorsport star's Astra Coupe is carrying maximum ballast following its win in round 10 at Mondello Park. Priaulx's ever-improving form in the works Honda put him at the top of the times in the second session, though, and temperatures in qualifying are likely to be high too so the Guernseyman should be well in contention again.

"We've certainly hit the sweet spot with the car now," said Priaulx. "The guys have made some good improvements, and it's the nicest it's been." He wasn't prepared to be too optimistic about qualifying and race though. "It's going to be very competitive again, with about six guys up there," he predicted.

Muller reckoned he'd found a good set-up immediately, but admitted that he was happier with the Astra when track temperatures were cooler. Even though he's carrying 60kg more than Priaulx, he reckoned that: "Still, a pole or at least a top three place is on."

Matt Neal was best of the rest in the Egg Sport Astra, just quicker than Anthony Reid in the top MG ZS. James Thompson though was in the wars again. The man who's second in the points ran in to a similar gearbox problem to the one he'd suffered in the Mondello sprint race as it swapped gears on its own. He missed most of session two and finished up only 10th fastest.

Phil Bennett wound the Proton up to be seventh quickest on the track where he put a Vauxhall Astra on pole last year, while both Team Atomic Kitten MG drivers were also on-form again - Colin Turkington's second session lap slightly quicker than Gareth Howell's earlier time.

Gavin Pyper was the quickest of the BTC Production runners in the GA Motorsport/Team Dynamics Alfa with regular rivals James Kaye and Norman Simon next up in Synchro Motorsport Honda and Edenbridge BMW respectively.


Yvan Muller (Vauxhall Astra Coupe) 1m25.289s 89.77mph
Andy Priaulx (Honda Civic Type R) 1m25.412s 89.65mph
Matt Neal (Vauxhall Astra Coupe) 1m25.618s 89.43mph
Anthony Reid (MG ZS) 1m25.747s 89.30mph
Paul O'Neill (Vauxhall Astra Coupe) 1m26.040s 88.90mph
Phil Bennett (Proton Impian) 1m26.114s 88.91mph
Alan Morrison (Honda Civic Type R) 1m26.249s 88.78mph
Colin Turkington (MG ZS) 1m26.254s 88.77mph
Gareth Howell (MG ZS) 1m26.299s 88.72mph
James Thompson (Vauxhall Astra Coupe) 1m26.303s 88.72mph

BTC Production
Gavin Pyper (Alfa Romeo 156) 1m30.277s 84.81mph
James Kaye (Honda Civic Type-R) 1m30.655s 84.46mph
Norman Simon (BMW 320i) 1m30.910s 84.22mph