BRC Racing’s Norbert Michelisz was the fastest driver in first practice for the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) at the Hungaroring, more than half a second clear of second-placed Thed Björk.
Michelisz moved to the top of the timesheets after eight minutes of the half-hour first session with a scintillating lap which was then more than 1.6 seconds quicker than the rest, and the Hyundai driver’s time would not be bettered thereafter.
Michelisz’s time of 1 minute 52.657 seconds was almost a tenth faster than the TCR lap record at the circuit, which he had set in 2017 on his first appearance in the TCR International Series.
Reigning WTCC champion Björk ended up in second, 0.544 seconds adrift of Michelisz, after improving his time with ten minutes remaining of the session.
Münnich Motorsport duo Esteban Guerrieri and James Thompson were third and fourth respectively, the latter having risen in the final minutes of the session. The Honda pair were the only drivers to break the Hyundai dominance in the session.
Wildcard entry Dániel Nagy was the second fastest Hungarian in his M1RA Hyundai in fifth, ahead of YMR’s Yvan Muller in sixth, who jumped BRC Racing’s Gabriele Tarquini in the closing seconds of the session.
DG Sport’s Aurélien Comte was eighth in the leading Peugeot 308, whilst Münnich Motorsport’s Yann Ehrlacher and Sébastien Loeb Racing’s Mehdi Bennani completed the top ten.
The Audi drivers struggled for pace on the twisty Hungaroring, with 12th-placed Aurélien Panis the best driver, 1.361 seconds off the pace.
There was encouraging pace from the Mulsanne Racing Alfa Romeo drivers, with Gianni Morbidelli at one stage inside the top ten but ending up 17th, whilst Fabrizio Giovanardi was 24th after a late improvement elevated him from the bottom of the timesheets.
Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil’s Gordon Shedden struggled on his first outing at the Hungaroring, the Scot ending up down in 26th some 2.658 seconds off the pace.
Second practice takes place at 10:15 CEST (09:15 BST).
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 5 | Norbert MICHELISZ |  |
BRC Racing Team | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 13 | 1:52.657 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 11 | Thed BJÖRK |  |
YMR | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 11 | 1:53.201 | 0.544 |
| 3 | 86 | Esteban GUERRIERI |  |
ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport | Honda Civic Type R TCR | 11 | 1:53.206 | 0.549 |
| 4 | 15 | James THOMPSON |  |
ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport | Honda Civic Type R TCR | 11 | 1:53.253 | 0.596 |
| 5 | 99 | Dániel NAGY | |
M1RA | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 13 | 1:53.255 | 0.598 |
| 6 | 48 | Yvan MULLER |  |
YMR | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 10 | 1:53.295 | 0.638 |
| 7 | 30 | Gabriele TARQUINI |  |
BRC Racing Team | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 12 | 1:53.359 | 0.702 |
| 8 | 7 | Aurélien COMTE | |
DG Sport Compétition | Peugeot 308 TCR | 14 | 1:53.596 | 0.939 |
| 9 | 68 | Yann EHRLACHER | |
ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport | Honda Civic Type R TCR | 12 | 1:53.869 | 1.212 |
| 10 | 25 | Mehdi BENNANI |  |
Sébastien Loeb Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 10 | 1:53.873 | 1.216 |
| 11 | 63 | Benjamin LESSENNES |  |
Boutsen Ginion Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR | 12 | 1:53.900 | 1.243 |
| 12 | 21 | Aurélien PANIS | |
Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS3 LMS | 12 | 1:54.018 | 1.361 |
| 13 | 12 | Rob HUFF | |
Sébastien Loeb Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 12 | 1:54.144 | 1.487 |
| 14 | 70 | Mat’o HOMOLA |  |
DG Sport Compétition | Peugeot 308 TCR | 13 | 1:54.187 | 1.530 |
| 15 | 69 | Jean-Karl VERNAY | |
Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team | Audi RS3 LMS | 10 | 1:54.284 | 1.627 |
| 16 | 9 | Tom CORONEL |  |
Boutsen Ginion Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR | 12 | 1:54.462 | 1.805 |
| 17 | 10 | Gianni MORBIDELLI | |
Team Mulsanne | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 10 | 1:54.510 | 1.853 |
| 18 | 74 | Pepe ORIOLA |  |
Team Oscaro by Campos Racing | CUPRA TCR | 11 | 1:54.593 | 1.936 |
| 19 | 8 | Norbert NAGY | |
Zengő Motorsport | CUPRA TCR | 12 | 1:54.595 | 1.938 |
| 20 | 23 | Nathanaël BERTHON | |
Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS3 LMS | 9 | 1:54.799 | 2.142 |
| 21 | 22 | Frédéric VERVISCH | |
Audi Sport Team Comtoyou | Audi RS3 LMS | 13 | 1:54.808 | 2.151 |
| 22 | 66 | Zsolt Dávid SZABÓ | |
Zengő Motorsport | CUPRA TCR | 10 | 1:54.889 | 2.232 |
| 23 | 27 | John FILIPPI | |
Team Oscaro by Campos Racing | CUPRA TCR | 12 | 1:54.901 | 2.244 |
| 24 | 88 | Fabrizio GIOVANARDI | |
Team Mulsanne | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 8 | 1:55.027 | 2.370 |
| 25 | 19 | Attila TASSI | |
KCMG | Honda Civic Type R TCR | 12 | 1:55.120 | 2.463 |
| 26 | 52 | Gordon SHEDDEN | |
Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team | Audi RS3 LMS | 13 | 1:55.315 | 2.658 |
| 27 | 20 | Denis DUPONT | |
Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS3 LMS | 7 | 1:55.585 | 2.928 |