Dušan Borković heads Alfa Romeo 1-2 in second TCR practice

Dušan Borković headed a GE-Force Alfa Romeo 1-2 in second practice for the TCR International Series in Thailand, with Leopard Racing’s points leader Jean-Karl Vernay in third.

The early pace in the session was set by M1RA’s Norbert Michelisz, who initially posted a time of 1 minute 44.279 seconds, before improving with a 1:44.113 with just over ten minutes to go.

But with six minutes to go it was the Alfa Romeos which began to show their hand, with first Kajaia and then one minute later Borković going to the top of the times as the first of the field to drop into the 1:43s.

- Advertisement -

In the final minute of the session Vernay then put his Volkswagen in third, four tenths off the pace, ahead of the leading Honda of Giacomo Altoè in fourth, who also improved late on in the session.

The second Leopard car of Rob Huff was fifth after another late improvement, leaving Michelisz to settle for sixth as the Hungarian pushed to the limits in the session, often locking brakes and catching slides.

Michelisz’s compatriot, team-mate and title contender Attila Tassi was seventh, ahead of the leading Audi of Comtoyou Racing’s Stefano Comini in eighth. Only the top eight were covered by a second this time, compared to the top 14 in the close first practice session.

The top ten was completed by the DG Sport Opel of Mat’o Homola and the Craft-Bamboo Racing SEAT of James Nash. It proved to be a particularly difficult session for the SEAT León drivers, with only Nash able to crack the top ten at a circuit expected to be a strong venue for the Spanish cars.

The leading TCR Thailand driver was DG Sport’s Munkong Sathienthirakul in 15^th, although the Thai local was immediately summoned to see the Race Director at the end of the session.

The morning’s early pace-setter, WestCoast Racing’s Kantadhee Kusiri, could only manage 20^th in a session which saw him complete just three laps due to technical issues.

Qualifying takes place at 15:30 local time (09:30 BST, 10:30 CEST).

Session results

POS	NO	DRIVER	NAT	ENTRANT	CAR	LAPS	TIME	GAP
1	62	Dušan BORKOVIĆ		GE-Force	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	13	1:43.444	0.000
2	16	Davit KAJAIA		GE-Force	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	14	1:43.472	0.028
3	2	Jean-Karl VERNAY		Leopard Racing Team WRT	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	14	1:43.864	0.420
4	21	Giacomo ALTOÈ		M1RA	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	13	1:44.031	0.587
5	3	Rob HUFF		Leopard Racing Team WRT	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	12	1:44.068	0.624
6	59	Norbert MICHELISZ		M1RA	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	13	1:44.113	0.669
7	9	Attila TASSI		M1RA	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	14	1:44.121	0.677
8	1	Stefano COMINI		Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS3 LMS TCR	14	1:44.407	0.963
9	70	Mat’o HOMOLA		DG Sport Compétition	Opel Astra TCR	13	1:44.462	1.018
10	54	James NASH		Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing	SEAT León TCR	13	1:44.484	1.040
11	17	Daniel LLOYD		Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing	SEAT León TCR	11	1:44.502	1.058
12	74	Pepe ORIOLA		Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing	SEAT León TCR	12	1:44.586	1.142
13	28	Aurélien PANIS		Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	15	1:44.709	1.265
14	10	Gianni MORBIDELLI		West Coast Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	9	1:45.052	1.608
15	67	Munkong SATHIENTHIRAKUL		DG Sport Compétition	Opel Astra TCR	14	1:45.429	1.985
16	6	Frédéric VERVISCH		Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS3 LMS TCR	14	1:45.531	2.087
17	85	Chariya NUYA		Billionaire Boys Racing	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	14	1:45.766	2.322
18	18	Duncan ENDE		Icarus Motorsports	SEAT León TCR	13	1:46.009	2.565
19	84	Pasarit PROMSOMBAT		RMI Racing Team by Sunoco	SEAT León TCR DSG	12	1:46.234	2.790
20	19	Kantadhee KUSIRI		West Coast Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	3	1:46.675	3.231
21	96	Nattanid LEEWATTANAVARAGUL		Morin Racing Team	SEAT León TCR DSG	8	1:46.799	3.355
22	83	Rattanin LEENUTAPHONG		Yontrakit Racing Team	SEAT León TCR DSG	12	1:48.104	4.660
23	86	Nattachak HANJITKASEN		TBN MK Ihere Racing Team	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	4	1:49.909	6.465
24	65	Douglas KHOO Kok Hui		Viper Niza Racing	SEAT León TCR	11	1:52.289	8.845
							0:00.000