West Coast Racing’s Gianni Morbidelli set the pace in first practice for the TCR International Series in Shanghai, lapping the Grand Prix circuit 0.259 seconds faster than team-mate René Münnich.
Italian Morbidelli put his Honda Civic TCR at the top of the times at the very start of the session, ending up as the only driver to be below the 2 minute 18 seconds mark.
“It was a good session, but I reckon that knowing the track well was an advantage in this first session,” said Morbidelli. “Still, the car seems well balanced and has good grip, I see some improvement room in braking.”
Target Competition’s Andrea Belicchi was the top SEAT León driver in third, ahead of Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Pepe Oriola in fourth, with the Spaniard as the last of the drivers to be within a second of the pace around the long 5.4 km circuit.
Kevin Gleason was fifth fastest in the third West Coast Honda, 1.255 seconds off the pace, despite an early spin in the session.
Mikhail Nykjær was sixth fastest for Target Competition, ahead of Craft-Bamboo’s Sepang race two winner Jordi Gené.
Mikhail Grachev was eighth fastest in his Engstler Motorsport Audi TT, just over 1.5 seconds off the pace.
TCR newcomer, reigning CTCC champion Tengyi Jiang, was ninth fastest in Target Competition’s fourth SEAT, ahead of Franz Engstler, who completed the top ten.
Championship leader Stefano Comini, carrying 30 kg of ballast as a result, could only manage 11th fastest, with the Swiss racer explaining that he was focussed on learning the track in first practice.
“I was not looking for lap times, just learning the track and getting to know the car in this configuration with success ballast,” explained Comini. “For sure, this track, with a lot of acceleration zones and braking in corners, is not the ideal one to be carrying an extra passenger such as ballast!”
Top ten times
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 10 | Gianni MORBIDELLI |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 8 | 2:17.770 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 23 | René MÜNNICH |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 7 | 2:18.029 | 0.259 |
| 3 | 33 | Andrea BELICCHI | |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 7 | 2:18.461 | 0.691 |
| 4 | 74 | Pepe ORIOLA |  |
Team Craft-Bamboo LUKOIL | SEAT León Racer | 7 | 2:18.766 | 0.996 |
| 5 | 24 | Kevin GLEASON |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 8 | 2:19.025 | 1.255 |
| 6 | 17 | Michel NYKJÆR |  |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 7 | 2:19.142 | 1.372 |
| 7 | 88 | Jordi GENÉ | |
Team Craft-Bamboo LUKOIL | SEAT León Racer | 7 | 2:19.242 | 1.472 |
| 8 | 8 | Mikhail GRACHEV |  |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Audi Sport TT Cup | 8 | 2:19.307 | 1.537 |
| 9 | 5 | Tengyi JIANG |  |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 8 | 2:19.361 | 1.591 |
| 10 | 6 | Franz ENGSTLER | |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Audi Sport TT Cup | 8 | 2:19.458 | 1.688 |