Boutsen Ginion Racing’s Benjamin Lessennes set the pace in first practice for the TCR International Series at Spa-Francorchamps, as newcomers secured eight of the top ten times.
Belgian Benelux racer Lessennes posted the fastest time in the closing stages of the half-hour session, ending up 0.259 seconds ahead of Comtoyou Racing’s new signing Frédéric Vervisch.
Six Belgians secured places in the top ten, with eight drivers being from the TCR Benelux Series which raced at the circuit two weeks ago.
Leopard Racing’s new full-season signing Rob Huff was third quickest in his Volkswagen Golf GTi, the only other driver to be within a second of the pace.
Guillaume Mondron and brother Edouard Mondron were fourth and fifth respectively in their Delahaye Racing Team cars.
The second Boutsen Ginion Racing Honda of Tom Coronel was sixth despite missing the first half of the session, the Dutchman making his TCR International début, ahead of the leading TCR International Series regular of Pierre-Yves Corthals in seventh in his Opel Astra.
Norwegian Stian Paulsen, who is joining the series for the European rounds, was eighth, with Belgian Maxim Potty and Swiss Stefano Comini completing the top ten.
The Craft-Bamboo Racing trio of Hugo Valente, James Nash and Pepe Oriola struggled for pace, ending up in 17th, 18th and 19th respectively, some 3.5 seconds off the pace
Technical troubles with steering for Dušan Borković prevented the Serbian posting a time, whilst Davit Kajaia’s sister Alfa Romeo experienced suspension problems and ended up in 21st place. Both Giulietta’s are brand new cars this weekend.
Second practice takes place at 16:00 CEST (15:00 BST).
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 63 | Benjamin LESSENNES |  |
Boutsen Ginion Racing | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 8 | 2:33.243 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 6 | Frédéric VERVISCH | |
Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 9 | 2:33.502 | 0.259 |
| 3 | 3 | Rob HUFF |  |
Leopard Racing Team WRT | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 7 | 2:33.818 | 0.575 |
| 4 | 12 | Guillaume MONDRON | |
Delahaye Racing Team | SEAT León TCR | 9 | 2:34.495 | 1.252 |
| 5 | 25 | Edouard MONDRON | |
Delahaye Racing Team | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 10 | 2:34.596 | 1.353 |
| 6 | 64 | Tom CORONEL |  |
Boutsen Ginion Racing | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 6 | 2:34.738 | 1.495 |
| 7 | 23 | Pierre-Yves CORTHALS | |
DG Sport Compétition | Opel Astra TCR | 9 | 2:35.089 | 1.846 |
| 8 | 34 | Stian PAULSEN |  |
Stian Paulsen Racing | SEAT León TCR | 8 | 2:35.138 | 1.895 |
| 9 | 52 | Maxime POTTY | |
Michaël Mazuin Sport | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 9 | 2:35.207 | 1.964 |
| 10 | 1 | Stefano COMINI |  |
Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 9 | 2:35.296 | 2.053 |
| 11 | 11 | Jens Reno MOLLER |  |
Reno Racing | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 9 | 2:35.531 | 2.288 |
| 12 | 70 | Mat’o HOMOLA |  |
DG Sport Compétition | Opel Astra TCR | 8 | 2:36.105 | 2.862 |
| 13 | 10 | Gianni MORBIDELLI |  |
West Coast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 8 | 2:36.334 | 3.091 |
| 14 | 21 | Giacomo ALTOÈ | |
West Coast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 10 | 2:36.426 | 3.183 |
| 15 | 5 | Roberto COLCIAGO | |
M1RA | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 10 | 2:36.763 | 3.520 |
| 16 | 2 | Jean-Karl VERNAY |  |
Leopard Racing Team WRT | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 9 | 2:36.824 | 3.581 |
| 17 | 7 | Hugo VALENTE | |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 10 | 2:36.825 | 3.582 |
| 18 | 54 | James NASH | |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 10 | 2:36.955 | 3.712 |
| 19 | 74 | Pepe ORIOLA |  |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 11 | 2:37.047 | 3.804 |
| 20 | 18 | Duncan ENDE |  |
Icarus Motorsports | SEAT León TCR | 9 | 2:37.748 | 4.505 |
| 21 | 16 | Davit KAJAIA |  |
GE-Force | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 7 | 2:42.886 | 9.643 |
| 22 | 55 | Ferenc FICZA |  |
Zele Racing | SEAT León TCR | 8 | 2:43.712 | 10.469 |
| 23 | 9 | Attila TASSI | |
M1RA | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 6 | 2:45.917 | 12.674 |
| 24 | 62 | Dušan BORKOVIĆ |  |
GE-Force | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 2 | No time |