Coronel fastest in final practice
Dutchman Tom Coronel topped the final practice session ahead of qualifying for the opening round of the World Touring Car Championship at Brazilian circuit Curitiba
The 35-year-old, driving a petrol-powered SEAT Leon TFSI for the new SUNRED team, set a best time of 1:25.036 late in the session to edge out Schnitzer Motorsport's home hero Augusto Farfus (BMW 320si) for the top spot.
Neither driver came close to the 1.24.566 time set by Schnitzer's Jorg Muller during the first practice session.
The German was fourth quickest in the afternoon session, a little over a tenth of a second slower than the lead Chevrolet Lacetti of Nicola Larini.
Spaniard Felix Porteiro was fifth fastest for Ravaglia Motorsport ahead of Alain Menu (Chevrolet), with RBM BMW's Andy Priaulx struggling for grip in seventh overall.
The best of the diesel SEATs, which are expected to show stronger pace during tomorrow's races, was driven by Swede Rickard Rydell, who set eighth fastest time ahead of Chevrolet's Rob Huff and the second best Leon TDI of former Formula One racer Tiago Monteiro.
In the Independents' Trophy, Exagon Engineering's Pierre-Yves Corthals set the pace, followed by Wiechers-Sport BMW driver Olivier Tielemans.
Final practice times:
Pos Driver Car Time 1. Tom Coronel SEAT Leon 1:25.036 2. Augusto Farfus BMW 320si 1:25.038 + 0.002 3. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti 1:25.243 + 0.207 4. Jorg Muller BMW 320si 1:25.391 + 0.355 5. Felix Porteiro BMW 320si 1:25.535 + 0.499 6. Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti 1:25.577 + 0.541 7. Andy Priaulx BMW 320si 1:25.597 + 0.561 8. Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon TDI 1:25.639 + 0.603 9. Robert Huff Chevrolet Lacetti 1:25.673 + 0.637 10. Tiago Monteiro SEAT Leon TDI 1:25.686 + 0.650 11. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si 1:25.703 + 0.667 12. Jordi Gene SEAT Leon TDI 1:25.758 + 0.722 13. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Leon TDI 1:25.806 + 0.770 14. Yvan Muller SEAT Leon TDI 1:25.819 + 0.783 15. Pierre-Yves Corthals SEAT Leon 1:26.051 + 1.015 16. Olivier Tielemans BMW 320si 1:26.212 + 1.176 17. Franz Engstler BMW 320si 1:26.269 + 1.233 18. Sergio Hernandez BMW 320si 1:26.861 + 1.825 19. Stefano D'Aste BMW 320si 1:26.897 + 1.861 20. Andrey Romanov BMW 320si 1:27.842 + 2.806 21. Ibrahim Okyay BMW 320si 1:28.654 + 3.618
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