Muller leads free practice at Macau
World Touring Car Championship joint-leader Yvan Muller proved that his SEAT team would be a major force in this weekend's season finale at Macau when he topped the times in the first free practice session
Muller, who shares the lead of the title chase with reigning FIA WTCC champion Andy Priaulx, moved to the top of the timesheets halfway through the 30-minute session - following a brief red flag period.
That stoppage was caused when Mexican Michel Jourdain's SEAT was left stranded sideways across the track at the Paiol corner, having also been hit by Belgian Pierre-Yves Corthals.
Muller held the top position through the second half of practice, but his rivals steadily cut away at his advantage.
In the end, BMW's Alessandro Zanardi came closest to overhauling Muller's best effort - but his session ended in trouble when he got sideways through the Paiol corner on his final lap and clouted the wall.
The incident damaged his right rear wheel, but his car should be repaired before this afternoon's second free practice session.
Local hero Andre Couto, who won the Macau F3 Grand Prix in 2000, ended up third quickest, ahead of BMW's Jorg Muller and SEAT's Tiago Monteiro.
Priaulx, who has won the last two WTCC crowns at Macau, ended up ninth fastest - behind Augusto Farfus, Gabriele Tarquini and Rickard Rydell.
Apart from Jourdain and Zanardi's incidents, the session was relatively troublefree. Robert Huff lost one of his wing mirrors after brushing the wall, while Luca Rangoni had a more serious incident and dented the left-hand side of his car.
Pos Driver Car Time 1. Yvan Muller SEAT Leon TDI 2:32.789 2. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si 2:32.867 + 0.078 3. Andre Couto Alfa Romeo 156 2:33.037 + 0.248 4. Jorg Muller BMW 320si 2:33.054 + 0.265 5. Tiago Monteiro SEAT Leon 2:33.187 + 0.398 6. Augusto Farfus BMW 320si 2:33.288 + 0.499 7. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Leon TDI 2:33.634 + 0.845 8. Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon 2:33.639 + 0.850 9. Andy Priaulx BMW 320si 2:33.704 + 0.915 10. Robert Huff Chevrolet Lacetti 2:33.818 + 1.029 11. James Thompson Alfa Romeo 156 2:33.863 + 1.074 12. Jordi Gene SEAT Leon TDI 2:33.986 + 1.197 13. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti 2:34.045 + 1.256 14. Luca Rangoni BMW 320si 2:34.350 + 1.561 15. Tom Coronel SEAT Leon 2:34.464 + 1.675 16. Duncan Huisman BMW 320si 2:34.525 + 1.736 17. Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti 2:34.557 + 1.768 18. Felix Porteiro BMW 320si 2:34.910 + 2.121 19. Fredrik Ekblom BMW 320si 2:35.314 + 2.525 20. Pierre-Yves Corthals SEAT Leon 2:35.492 + 2.703 21. Stefano D'Aste BMW 320si 2:35.874 + 3.085 22. Sergio Hernandez BMW 320si 2:36.439 + 3.650 23. Carl Rosenblad BMW 320si 2:36.513 + 3.724 24. Michel Jourdain SEAT Leon 2:36.972 + 4.183 25. Colin Turkington BMW 320si 2:38.274 + 5.485 26. Maurizio Ceresoli SEAT Leon 2:38.700 + 5.911 27. Miguel Freitas Alfa Romeo 156 2:38.895 + 6.106
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