Néstor Girolami has set the standard in the test prior to the WTCR event in Vallelunga, a one-hour session was held after the request of drivers and teams to have more time for effective work on the track. In fact, the sixteen drivers who compete regularly in the event have worked intensely on the asphalt and only Mikel Azcona and Rob Huff have closed this test with less than 20 laps in their locker. All in all, the Navarrese driver finished second.
Girolami has signed a time of 1:14.902 to set the best time behind the wheel of his Honda Civic Type R TCR. The Argentine driver, weighed down in the last WTCR races by the compensation weight that the Japanese car had to drag, has felt much more comfortable from the first moment now that his car drags 20 and not 40 kilograms of ballast. Although few conclusions can be drawn from such a test, Girolami has beaten Mikel Azcona by half a second, being the only rider to lap in 1:14.
Nathanaël Berthon has been placed behind the Argentine and the leader of the World Cup with the first of the Audi RS 3 LMS TCR. The French driver was the ham in the sandwich for the local BRC Racing Team Hyundais, as Norbert Michelisz finished fourth. However, the Hungarian driver had to regret some kind of mechanical problem in his Hyundai Elantra N TCR. In fact, Michelisz stopped on track, causing one of the two red flags of the session.
Yann Ehrlacher has been the cause of the other red flag after suffering a track exit with his Lynk & Co 03 TCR at turn 10. In fact, the French driver finished last in the time table with a 1:16.648 that somehow reflects the problems that Cyan Racing may have this weekend when seeing how the compensation ballast of their car has increased to 40 kilogramsmaximum weight allowed by the WTCR regulations.
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Photos: FIA WTCR