Y Muller leads morning session
Yvan Muller kept SEAT at the top of the timesheets following the opening free practice session at Brands Hatch
The former British Touring Car champion lapped the Kent circuit in 1:35.013, nearly one and a half seconds off the pace shown in yesterday's test session.
The times did not approach yesterday's best because dry running in the session was limited. Rain ruined the final ten minutes of the session rendering attempts at qualifying simulation laps useless.
A crash by the Alfa Romeo of Gianni Morbidelli at the fast Westfield corner also caused the session to be delayed by ten minutes while the 156 was removed form the track.
Fellow Alfa driver Salvatore Tavano was an impressive second quickest despite having relatively little experience of the circuit. He beat the SEAT Leon of Jordi Gene by just 0.072 seconds.
Reigning World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx had a better start to the morning with the fourth fastest time, having complained yesterday that the 70kg of success ballast he was forced to run this weekend would slow him down too much.
James Thompson, who posted the fastest time in testing yesterday, was fifth quickest.
With rain pouring hard at the end of the session, the majority of drivers chose to go back out again and complete some laps to improve their wet weather set up. Rain is forecast from tomorrow's two races.
Results
Pos Driver Make Time 1. Yvan Muller SEAT Leon 1:35.013 2. Salvatore Tavano Alfa Romeo 156 1:35.417 + 0.404 3. Jordi Gene SEAT Leon 1:35.489 + 0.476 4. Andy Priaulx BMW 320si 1:35.602 + 0.589 5. James Thompson SEAT Leon 1:35.689 + 0.676 6. Peter Terting SEAT Leon 1:35.730 + 0.717 7. Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti 1:35.758 + 0.745 8. Jorg Muller BMW 320si 1:35.861 + 0.848 9. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Leon 1:35.888 + 0.875 10. Robert Huff Chevrolet Lacetti 1:35.909 + 0.896 11. Dirk Muller BMW 320si 1:35.977 + 0.964 12. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si 1:35.984 + 0.971 13. Marcel Costa BMW 320si 1:36.216 + 1.203 14. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti 1:36.383 + 1.370 15. Pierre-Yves Corthals Honda Accord Euro R 1:36.524 + 1.511 16. Tom Coronel SEAT Leon 1:36.814 + 1.801 17. Augusto Farfus Alfa Romeo 156 1:36.972 + 1.959 18. Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon 1:36.987 + 1.974 19. Stefano D'Aste BMW 320i 1:37.228 + 2.215 20. Luca Rangoni BMW 320si 1:37.479 + 2.466 21. Emmet O'Brien BMW 320i 1:37.589 + 2.576 22. Ryan Sharp Honda Accord Euro R 1:37.619 + 2.606 23. Maurizio Ceresoli SEAT Toledo Cupra 1:38.533 + 3.520 24. Diego Romanini BMW 320i 1:39.669 + 4.656 25. Gianni Morbidelli Alfa Romeo 156 1:46.554 + 11.541
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