Priaulx tops testing in Macau
Andy Priaulx got his bid to win this year's World Touring Car Championship at the finale in Macau off to a perfect start on Thursday when he topped the timesheets during official testing
The BMW driver, who lies just one point behind teammate Dirk Muller in the championship standings, put in his best lap right at the end of the session to edge out fellow BMW driver Jorg Muller.
"It was a good start," said Priaulx, who is the reigning European Touring Car Champion. "The car feels nicely balanced and I have a lot of confidence in it. But the problem is that now I've set myself up as a target and everyone will be aiming to knock me off."
Third fastest was SEAT driver Tom Coronel, while former Macau Grand Prix winner Andre Couto delighted his home crowd with the fourth fastest time for Alfa Romeo.
Couto was the fastest Alfa Romeo driver, on a weekend when the Italian carmaker chase the manufacturers' championship and driver Fabrizio Giovanardi hopes to land the drivers' crown.
But Giovanardi had his weekend get off to a disastrous start. The Italian spun his Alfa Romeo headfirst into the barriers on the inside of Dona Maria Bend after setting his best time, which was good enough for sixth overall on the timesheets.
The car sustained damage to its front right corner, although it is likely to be repaired in time for Friday's morning first free practice session.
Dirk Muller could only manage the ninth fastest time, behind Nicola Larini in the Chevrolet and Rickard Rydell in the SEAT.
Pos Driver Car Time 1. Andy Priaulx BMW 320i 2:34.492 2. Jorg Muller BMW 320i + 0.876 3. Tom Coronel SEAT Toledo Cupra + 1.037 4. Andre Couto Alfa Romeo 156 + 1.556 5. Jordi Gene SEAT Leon + 1.672 6. Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 + 1.798 7. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti + 1.999 8. Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon + 2.051 9. Dirk Muller BMW 320i + 2.103 10. Gabriele Tarquini Alfa Romeo 156 + 2.115 11. Antonio Garcia BMW 320i + 2.441 12. Augusto Farfus Jr. Alfa Romeo 156 + 2.572 13. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320i + 2.843 14. Michael Funke Ford Focus + 3.906 15. Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti + 4.077 16. Duncan Huisman BMW 320i + 4.105 17. Peter Terting SEAT Leon + 4.534 18. Simon Harrison Honda Accord Euro R + 4.542 19. Peter Scharmach BMW 320i + 4.911 20. Giuseppe Ciro BMW 320i + 5.713 21. Stefano D'aste BMW 320i + 6.028 22. Carl Rosenblad BMW 320i + 6.459 23. James Thompson Alfa Romeo 156 + 6.969 24. Patrick Bernhardt Ford Focus + 8.820 25. Robert Huff Chevrolet Lacetti + 8.854 26. Adriano De Micheli Honda Accord Euro R + 10.101 27. Lo Ka Fai SEAT Toledo Cupra + 13.499 28. Chi Hong BMW 320i + 17.619 29. Hironori Takeuchi Toyota Altezza + 31.737 30. Marc Hennerici BMW 320i no time All Timing Unofficial
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