Leopard Lukoil Team’s Jean-Karl Vernay led the way in the opening TCR Europe practice session at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
The 2017 TCR International Series Champion only set nine timed laps around the 4.3 mile circuit, but his best of 2:31.416 seconds in the Audi RS 3 LMS was enough to eclipse Maxime Potty’s Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR by two tenths of a second.
Joint championship leader Dušan Borković came next in the Target Competition-run Hyundai i30 N TCR, nearly a further half-second back, despite the 10mm reduction in ride height made in the TCR BoP (Balance of Performance) regulations prior to the weekend.
Stefano Comini makes his return to the series in a Honda Civic Type R FK7 and the Swiss went fourth quickest, with Stian Paulsen’s CUPRA making it five brands in the top five.
Zandvoort race-winner and the sole Hell Energy with KCMG Honda of Josh Files was sixth, with team-mate Attila Tassi forced to skip first practice due to a delayed flight because of poor weather.
It remains to be seen if the Hungarian will compete in FP2, which starts at 16:35 CEST this afternoon.
M1RA’s Francisco Mora was seventh, with the remaining two Target Hyundais of Reece Barr and Kris Richard sandwiching Mikel Azcona’s CUPRA to round out the top ten.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 69 | Jean-Karl VERNAY |  |
Leopard Lukoil Team | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 9 | 2:31.416 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 88 | Maxime POTTY |  |
Comtoyou Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 11 | 2:31.670 | 0.254 |
| 3 | 62 | Dušan BORKOVIĆ |  |
Target Competition | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 9 | 2:32.064 | 0.648 |
| 4 | 42 | Stefano COMINI |  |
Autodis Racing by THX | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 10 | 2:32.329 | 0.913 |
| 5 | 34 | Stian PAULSEN |  |
Stian Paulsen Racing | CUPRA TCR | 7 | 2:32.810 | 1.394 |
| 6 | 99 | Josh FILES |  |
Hell Energy Racing with KCMG | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 9 | 2:33.246 | 1.830 |
| 7 | 26 | Francisco MORA |  |
M1RA | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 10 | 2:33.353 | 1.937 |
| 8 | 8 | Reece BARR |  |
Target Competition | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 9 | 2:33.451 | 2.035 |
| 9 | 25 | Mikel AZCONA |  |
PCR Sport | CUPRA TCR | 10 | 2:33.727 | 2.311 |
| 10 | 94 | Kris RICHARD | |
Target Competition | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 9 | 2:34.095 | 2.679 |
| 11 | 11 | Jens Reno MØLLER |  |
Reno Racing | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 10 | 2:34.343 | 2.927 |
| 12 | 4 | Julien BRICHÉ | |
JSB Compétition | Peugeot 308 TCR | 5 | 2:34.418 | 3.002 |
| 13 | 38 | Danny KROES |  |
PCR Sport | CUPRA TCR | 11 | 2:34.854 | 3.438 |
| 14 | 14 | Loris CENCETTI |  |
Autodis Racing by Piro Sports | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 10 | 2:34.862 | 3.446 |
| 15 | 999 | Dániel NAGY |  |
M1RA | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 6 | 2:35.225 | 3.809 |
| 16 | 13 | Cedric PIRO |  |
Autodis Racing by Piro Sports | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 9 | 2:35.680 | 4.264 |
| 17 | 17 | Martin RYBA |  |
Brutal Fish Racing Team | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 11 | 2:36.693 | 5.277 |
| 18 | 23 | Francisco ABREU | |
Sports & You | Peugeot 308 TCR | 11 | 2:36.783 | 5.367 |
| 19 | 21 | Marie BAUS-COPPENS | |
JSB Compétition | CUPRA TCR DSG | 10 | 2:36.947 | 5.531 |
| 20 | 35 | Munkong SATHIENTHIRAKUL |  |
Monlau Competición | CUPRA TCR | 11 | 2:37.008 | 5.592 |
| 21 | 10 | Viktor DAVIDOVSKY |  |
PSS Racing Team | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 11 | 2:37.308 | 5.892 |
| 22 | 63 | Giovanni ALTOÈ |  |
Pit Lane Competizioni | Audi RS3 LMS TCR DSG | 11 | 2:37.683 | 6.267 |