Tarquini On Top In First Practice In Marrakech
Peter Allen
Gabriele Tarquini – Photo Credit: WTCC Media
Gabriele Tarquini posted the fastest time in the first practice session for the WTCC Race of Morocco in Marrakech.
The Lukoil Racing Team driver recorded a best time of 1m45.165s around the street circuit in his SEAT Leon.
That was just 0.041s faster than Yvan Muller in the best of the Chevrolet Cruzes.Rob Huff was third fastest, three tenths away from Tarquini.
Tom Chilton and Team Aon continued their good pace that had seen Chilton finish second in Friday’s test session – the British driver this time finishing fourth, and the last man within a second of top spot.
Franz Engstler led the Yokohama Trophy runners in his BMW in fifth, narrowly ahead of the similar machines of Stefano D’Asteand Tom Coronel.
Pepe Oriola was eighth in his Tuenti Racing Team-entered SEAT, ahead of local star Mehdi Bennani and Tiago Monteiro.
Alain Menu was a lowly 11th in the third and final factory Chevrolet, ahead ofNorbert Michelisz and Alex MacDowall. Hong Kong duo Darryl O’Young andCharles Ng were next up, with James Nash in 16th and nearly two seconds slower than his teammate. Tom Boardmanwas 18th.
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