Friday practice: Engstler heads BMWs

"The car is much better than yesterday," said Engstler. "I am not focusing too much on qualifying because to get a really quick lap depends on not being caught out with traffic. With two long races on Sunday it is better to concentrate on that."

Soper was second and had no complaints with his Peugeot, despite a wild moment as he tried to put in a quick lap near the end of the session with Dutchman Tom Coronel in third.

"I'm delighted," said Coronel. "But I was very lucky because I was following Duncan really closely for a few laps and then he went off. I thought he was going to bounce back into the track and I would be caught up in the crash."

Huisman's car suffered damage to the front two corners and the Carly Motors team was working furiously after the session in a bid to get it repaired for final qualifying.

Germans Peter Scharmach and Markus Gedlich finished fourth and fifth fastest, while Briton Simon Harrison was quietly confident for qualifying after taking sixth in his Ford Focus.

"It is getting better and there is still plenty to come from me and the team," said Harrison.