Piro Sport’s Stefano Comini emerged as the fastest driver by almost half a second in first practice for the TCR Europe series at Assen, as Honda and Hyundai cars dominated the times at the fast and flowing circuit.
Comini put his Honda Civic Type R on top of the times by a comfortable 0.497 second margin ahead of Target Competition Hyundai racer Reece Barr.
Dušan Borković was the best of the title contenders in third, just behind his team-mate, ahead of Reno Racing’s Jens Reno Møller in fourth.
Fifth-placed Kris Richard made it a strong session for Target Competition, with his Hyundai being the only other car to lap within a second of Comini’s pace.
M1RA’s Dániel Nagy was sixth quickest, ahead of the leading CUPRA of Dutch local Danny Kroes in seventh – with the PCR Sport driver being the only non-Honda or Hyundai to place inside the top ten.
TCR Europe newcomer Peter Terting was eighth fastest in his Piro Sports Hyundai, ahead of the leading KCMG Honda of Josh Files in ninth. His team-mate Attila Tassi completed the top ten.
Leopard Racing’s Jean-Karl Vernay was 11th, despite having been the fastest driver in a private testing session earlier in the morning.
Niether THX racer Loris Cencetti nor Stefanovski Racing’s Igor Stefanovski posted a time in the session, after damaging their Honda and Hyundai cars respectively in the private test session.
Second practice is scheduled to take place at 14:40 CEST (13:40 BST) later on Friday, with qualifying following on Saturday.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 42 | Stefano COMINI |  |
Autodis Racing by THX | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 13 | 1:44.915 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 8 | Reece BARR |  |
Target Competition | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 14 | 1:45.412 | 0.497 |
| 3 | 62 | Dušan BORKOVIĆ |  |
Target Competition | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 12 | 1:45.680 | 0.765 |
| 4 | 11 | Jens Reno MØLLER |  |
Reno Racing | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 11 | 1:45.786 | 0.871 |
| 5 | 94 | Kris RICHARD | |
Target Competition | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 13 | 1:45.847 | 0.932 |
| 6 | 999 | Dániel NAGY |  |
M1RA | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 14 | 1:45.973 | 1.058 |
| 7 | 38 | Danny KROES |  |
PCR Sport | CUPRA TCR | 16 | 1:46.119 | 1.204 |
| 8 | 15 | Peter TERTING |  |
Autodis Racing by Piro Sports | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 11 | 1:46.320 | 1.405 |
| 9 | 99 | Josh FILES |  |
Hell Energy Racing with KCMG | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 11 | 1:46.380 | 1.465 |
| 10 | 9 | Attila TASSI | |
Hell Energy Racing with KCMG | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 14 | 1:46.401 | 1.486 |
| 11 | 69 | Jean-Karl VERNAY |  |
Leopard Lukoil Team | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 10 | 1:46.499 | 1.584 |
| 12 | 25 | Mikel AZCONA |  |
PCR Sport | CUPRA TCR | 12 | 1:46.686 | 1.771 |
| 13 | 4 | Julien BRICHÉ | |
JSB Compétition | Peugeot 308 TCR | 13 | 1:46.714 | 1.799 |
| 14 | 23 | Francisco ABREU |  |
Sports & You | Peugeot 308 TCR | 14 | 1:46.807 | 1.892 |
| 15 | 88 | Maxime POTTY |  |
Comtoyou Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 9 | 1:47.064 | 2.149 |
| 16 | 34 | Stian PAULSEN |  |
Stian Paulsen Racing | CUPRA TCR | 10 | 1:47.271 | 2.356 |
| 17 | 10 | Viktor DAVIDOVSKY |  |
PSS Racing Team | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 16 | 1:47.821 | 2.906 |
| 18 | 35 | Munkong SATHIENTHIRAKUL |  |
Monlau Competición | CUPRA TCR | 14 | 1:48.074 | 3.159 |
| 19 | 21 | Marie BAUS-COPPENS | |
JSB Compétition | CUPRA TCR DSG | 15 | 1:48.854 | 3.939 |
| 20 | 63 | Giovanni ALTOÈ |  |
Pit Lane Competizioni | Audi RS3 LMS TCR DSG | 13 | 1:50.254 | 5.339 |
| 21 | 14 | Loris CENCETTI |  |
Autodis Racing by THX | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | – | No time | N/A |
| 22 | 7 | Igor STEFANOVSKI | |
Stefanovski Racing Team | Hyundai i30 N TCR | – | No time | N/A |