Jordi Gené headed a Craft-Bamboo Racing 1-2-3 in first practice for the TCR International Series in Valencia, with the Spaniard posting a best time just 0.002 seconds faster than team-mate Pepe Oriola.
Gené went fastest in the opening minutes of the session, which took place under clear blue skies in Valencia. Pepe Oriola was second fastest throughout the half-hour session, originally 0.060 seconds off his compatriot before slashing the gap to a mere 0.002 seconds with around ten minutes remaining.
In the final minutes Russian Sergey Afanasyev made it a SEAT 1-2-3 and perfect practice for Craft-Bamboo, with WestCoast Racing Honda’s Gianni Morbidelli in fourth, 0.387 seconds off the pace.
Behind Morbicelli was a trio of Target Competition SEATs, with Stefano Comini in fifth ahead of Michel Nykjær and Andrea Belicchi.
Bas Schouten was an impressive eighth fastest in his first-ever TCR event, with the Dutch driver posting a lap 0.688 seconds off the pace. Fellow rookie David Cebrián Ariza was ninth for JSB Compétition, ending the session as the last driver within a second of the pace.
Completing the top ten was Franz Engstler, who was one tneht faster than team-mate and fellow Audi TT driver Mikhail Grachev.
Both of Campos Racing’s Opel Astra OPC cars ran relatively problem-free in the session, but ended up as the slowest two cars. Jordi Oriola was 16th, whilst one-make series specialist Oscar Nogués Farré was last, more than two seconds off the pace.
Second practice takes place at 12:30 CEST (11:30 BST).
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 88 | Jordi GENÉ |  |
Team Craft-Bamboo LUKOIL | SEAT León Racer | 10 | 1:42.247 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 74 | Pepe ORIOLA | |
Team Craft-Bamboo LUKOIL | SEAT León Racer | 12 | 1:42.249 | 0.002 |
| 3 | 77 | Sergey AFANASYEV |  |
Team Craft-Bamboo LUKOIL | SEAT León Racer | 9 | 1:42.621 | 0.374 |
| 4 | 10 | Gianni MORBIDELLI |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 10 | 1:42.634 | 0.387 |
| 5 | 25 | Stefano COMINI |  |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 7 | 1:42.724 | 0.477 |
| 6 | 17 | Michel NYKJÆR |  |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 11 | 1:42.807 | 0.560 |
| 7 | 33 | Andrea BELICCHI | |
Target Competition | SEAT León Racer | 9 | 1:42.820 | 0.573 |
| 8 | 34 | Bas SCHOUTEN |  |
ST Motorsport / Bas Koeten Racing | SEAT León Racer | 9 | 1:42.935 | 0.688 |
| 9 | 32 | David CEBRIÁN Ariza | |
JSB Compétition | SEAT León Racer | 14 | 1:43.012 | 0.765 |
| 10 | 6 | Franz ENGSTLER |  |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Audi Sport TT Cup | 12 | 1:43.281 | 1.034 |
| 11 | 8 | Mikhail GRACHEV | |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Audi Sport TT Cup | 13 | 1:43.350 | 1.103 |
| 12 | 24 | Kevin GLEASON |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 13 | 1:43.433 | 1.186 |
| 13 | 11 | Lucile CYPRIANO |  |
JSB Compétition | SEAT León Racer | 12 | 1:43.441 | 1.194 |
| 14 | 7 | Lorenzo VEGLIA | |
Liqui Moly Team Engstler | SEAT León Racer | 14 | 1:43.542 | 1.295 |
| 15 | 20 | Igor SKUZ |  |
West Coast Racing | Honda Civic TCR | 12 | 1:43.556 | 1.309 |
| 16 | 21 | Jordi ORIOLA | |
Campos Racing | Opel Astra OPC | 10 | 1:43.614 | 1.367 |
| 17 | 19 | Oscar NOGUÉS | |
Campos Racing | Opel Astra OPC | 8 | 1:44.506 | 2.259 |