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WTCR - Muller heads Bjork at home as Circuit Pau-Arnos action begins

16.10.21

FIA WTCR Race of France - Free practice 1 report 

Yvan Muller set the pace in the first free practice session at WTCR Race of France as the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup made its debut at Circuit Pau-Arnos.

The Frenchman set a time of 1m19.747s to head fellow Lynk & Co driver Thed Björk by just 0.112s, with the top 18 cars separated by less than a second around the 3.030-kilometre circuit.

Jean-Karl Vernay was third fastest in his Goodyear-equipped Engstler Hyundai N Liqui Moly Racing Team Hyundai Elantra N TCR, ahead of Esteban Guerrieri’s ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Honda Civic Type R TCR. Fellow Honda driver Attila Tassi was fifth with Santiago Urrutia and Goodyear #FollowTheLeader Yann Ehrlacher completing a strong session for the Lynk & Co 03 TcRs in sixth and seventh.

Norbert Michelisz set the eighth fastest time in his BRC Hyundai N LUKOIL Squadra Corse Hyundai, with Frédéric Vervisch the fastest of the Comtoyou Team Audi Sport entries. Mikel Azcona recovered from a high-speed spin at the esses that make up Turns 1 and 2 to round out the top 10 in his Zengő Motorsport CUPRA Leon Competición.

Néstor Girolami was P11 following a front-left puncture, while Luca Engstler was P12 after running off the course and up a grass bank in sector two. Nathanaël Berthon (Audi) was next, from Tom Coronel (Audi) and Rob Huff (CUPRA).

The second free practice session of WTCR Race of France is scheduled to start at 13h00 local time.