Kantadhee Kusiri sets the pace in first practice

WestCoast Racing’s Kantadhee Kusiri set the pace in first practice for the TCR International Series in Thailand, with the series returnee ahead of Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Pepe Oriola and James Nash.

Kusiri has been brought in this weekend to replace Giacomo Altoè, who switched to the M1RA outfit ahead of the event. The TCR Asia Series point leader went to the top of the times in the final third of the half-hour session, knocking Oriola down to second with a lap that put him just over a tenth clear.

Nash was third quickest, ahead of the leading GE-Force Alfa Romeo of Dušan Borković in fourth. The Serb’s team-mate Davit Kajaia had earlier been fastest in the session, but the Georgian ended up in seventh.

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Championship leader Jean-Karl Vernay was fifth and the leading Leopard Racing driver, ahead of the returning Norbert Michelisz in sixth, with the M1RA team boss standing in for the injured Roberto Colciago this weekend. Michelisz very briefly held the top time in the session, before being ousted by Nash, Oriola and then Kusiri.

Behind Kajaia in seventh was the leading Opel of Mat’o Homola in eighth. The DG Sport Compétition driver has a new team-mate in Munkong Sathienthirakul this weekend, although the Thai local failed to post a time after stopping on the main straight with an electrical issue before anyone had posted a competitive time.

M1RA’s main title contender Attila Tassi was ninth fastest, ahead of the last round’s double-winner Gianni Morbidelli in tenth and new M1RA signing Altoè in 11^th.

Brits Dan Lloyd and Rob Huff were 12^th and 13^th fastest respectively for Craft-Bamboo Racing and Leopard Racing, whilst defending champion Stefano Comini was the last driver within a second of the pace in 14^th, also as the top Audi driver.

Chariya Nuya ended the session as the leading TCR Thailand racer in 16^th, putting his Billionarie Boys Racing Honda just over a second off the top time.

Second practice takes place at 12:30 local time (06:30 BST, 07:30 CEST).

Session results

POS	NO	DRIVER	NAT	ENTRANT	CAR	LAPS	TIME	GAP
1	19	Kantadhee KUSIRI		West Coast Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	11	1:44.242	0.000
2	74	Pepe ORIOLA		Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing	SEAT León TCR	13	1:44.374	0.132
3	54	James NASH		Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing	SEAT León TCR	15	1:44.402	0.160
4	62	Dušan BORKOVIĆ		GE-Force	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	13	1:44.427	0.185
5	2	Jean-Karl VERNAY		Leopard Racing Team WRT	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	11	1:44.439	0.197
6	59	Norbert MICHELISZ		M1RA	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	12	1:44.485	0.243
7	16	Davit KAJAIA		GE-Force	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	13	1:44.566	0.324
8	70	Mat’o HOMOLA		DG Sport Compétition	Opel Astra TCR	13	1:44.752	0.510
9	9	Attila TASSI		M1RA	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	15	1:44.779	0.537
10	10	Gianni MORBIDELLI		West Coast Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	9	1:44.836	0.594
11	21	Giacomo ALTOÈ		M1RA	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	10	1:45.044	0.802
12	17	Daniel LLOYD		Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing	SEAT León TCR	13	1:45.163	0.921
13	3	Rob HUFF		Leopard Racing Team WRT	Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR	13	1:45.181	0.939
14	1	Stefano COMINI		Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS3 LMS TCR	13	1:45.229	0.987
15	28	Aurélien PANIS		Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	13	1:45.271	1.029
16	85	Chariya NUYA		Billionaire Boys Racing	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	14	1:45.403	1.161
17	6	Frédéric VERVISCH		Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS3 LMS TCR	15	1:46.105	1.863
18	18	Duncan ENDE		Icarus Motorsports	SEAT León TCR	14	1:46.438	2.196
19	84	Pasarit PROMSOMBAT		RMI Racing Team by Sunoco	SEAT León TCR DSG	9	1:47.056	2.814
20	83	Rattanin LEENUTAPHONG		Yontrakit Racing Team	SEAT León TCR DSG	14	1:47.128	2.886
21	96	Nattanid LEEWATTANAVARAGUL		Morin Racing Team	SEAT León TCR DSG	13	1:47.349	3.107
22	86	Nattachak HANJITKASEN		TBN MK Ihere Racing Team	Honda Civic Type-R TCR	12	1:47.903	3.661
23	65	Douglas KHOO Kok Hui		Viper Niza Racing	SEAT León TCR	12	1:50.315	6.073
24	67	Munkong SATHIENTHIRAKUL		DG Sport Compétition	Opel Astra TCR	1	No time