Title contenders hit trouble
World Touring Car Championship title contenders Andy Priaulx and Fabrizio Giovanardi both hit trouble in first practice for the finale at Macau on Friday, as Chevrolet's Nicola Larini led the way
As Larini edged out SEAT's Rickard Rydell and the BMW duo of Jorg Muller and championship leader Dirk Muller, Priaulx suffered a puncture and Giovanardi hit the wall for the second time this weekend.
"It was on my first lap," said Priaulx, who ended the session 23rd overall in the standings. "There was no warning on the dashboard but the car felt really strange on my first lap out of the pits and then it blew. Luckily I was able to make it back to the pits."
Giovanardi's car had been repaired following his crash into the barriers at Dona Maria Bend on Thursday but, with just 10 minutes of the session remaining, he again got it wrong and hit the wall after the Solitude Esses.
The impact was not too severe but Giovanardi's car sustained light damage to the right front hand side - and the Italian showed his frustration as he furiously slammed his door shut after climbing out of the cockpit.
Although the car should be repaired in time for second practice, the incident means that Giovanardi will have lost more vital track time.
Pos Driver Make Time Laps 1. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti 2:33.465 9 2. Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon 2:33.663 + 0.198 9 3. Jorg Muller BMW 320i 2:34.252 + 0.787 9 4. Dirk Muller BMW 320i 2:34.550 + 1.085 8 5. Jordi Gene SEAT Leon 2:34.582 + 1.117 8 6. Antonio Garcia BMW 320i 2:34.677 + 1.212 8 7. Augusto Farfus Jr. Alfa Romeo 156 2:34.679 + 1.214 10 8. Gabriele Tarquini Alfa Romeo 156 2:34.869 + 1.404 7 9. Tom Coronel Seat Toledo Cupra 2:35.033 + 1.568 8 10. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320i 2:35.049 + 1.584 9 11. Michael Funke Ford Focus 2:35.507 + 2.042 9 12. Andre Couto Alfa Romeo 156 2:35.530 + 2.065 9 13. Simon Harrison Honda Accord Euro R 2:36.130 + 2.665 9 14. Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti 2:36.140 + 2.675 8 15. Peter Terting SEAT Leon 2:36.476 + 3.011 10 16. Giuseppe Ciro BMW 320i 2:36.605 + 3.140 9 17. Peter Scharmach BMW 320i 2:36.814 + 3.349 9 18. Carl Rosenblad BMW 320i 2:37.096 + 3.631 9 19. Robert Huff Chevrolet Lacetti 2:37.130 + 3.665 9 20. James Thompson Alfa Romeo 156 2:37.586 + 4.121 9 21. Patrick Bernhardt Ford Focus 2:38.203 + 4.738 6 22. Stefano D'aste BMW 320i 2:38.255 + 4.790 9 23. Andy Priaulx BMW 320i 2:39.413 + 5.948 6 24. Adriano De Micheli Honda Accord Euro R 2:42.449 + 8.984 9 25. Lo Ka Fai Seat Toledo Cupra 2:43.696 + 10.231 8 26. Duncan Huisman BMW 320i 2:44.795 + 11.330 4 27. Hironori Takeuchi Toyota Altezza 2:47.342 + 13.877 8 28. Paul Poon BMW 320i 2:47.391 + 13.926 7 29. Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 No time 2 30. Ao Chi Hong BMW 320i No time 31. Marc Hennerici BMW 320i No time
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