Leopard Lukoil Team’s Jean-Karl Vernay was fastest in the opening TCR Europe practice session at Monza, topping the timesheets by over half a second from Maxime Potty and series debutant Fabrizio Giovanardi.
The 2017 TCR International Series champion set the early pace in the half-hour session, being the first driver to dip below the two minute mark at the 3.6-mile circuit.
He then went on to set a 1:58.783 in the final third of the session, and finished up 0.538 ahead of Spa-Francorchamps podium finisher Potty, who also improved late in the session.
Giovanardi, who makes his first appearance in TCR Europe this weekend, was third fastest in his Mulsanne Racing Alfa Romeo Giulietta, albeit seven tenths down on Vernay’s time.
In fourth position was Mikel Azcona, who currently sits second in the championship standings, two points adrift of leader Dušan Borković.
Fellow CUPRA runner and TCR Italy points leader Salvatore Tavano completed the top five ahead of standings leader Borković, who led the M1RA Hyundai of Dániel Nagy.
TCR UK race winner Ollie Taylor was next in his Pyro Motorsport Honda Civic Type R FK7, ahead of Stian Paulsen, with Danny Kroes rounding out the top ten.
Notably, Josh Files failed to set a time, spending the majority of the session in the pit lane likely repairing a mechanical issue after he slowed at turn six five minutes into opening practice.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 69 | Jean-Karl VERNAY |  |
Leopard Lukoil Team | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 10 | 1:58.783 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 88 | Maxime POTTY |  |
Comtoyou Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 12 | 1:59.321 | 0.538 |
| 3 | 18 | Fabrizio GIOVANARDI |  |
Team Mulsanne | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 10 | 1:59.519 | 0.736 |
| 4 | 25 | Mikel AZCONA |  |
PCR Sport | CUPRA TCR | 15 | 1:59.591 | 0.808 |
| 5 | 44 | Salvatore TAVANO | |
Scuderia Girasole | CUPRA TCR | 14 | 2:00.085 | 1.302 |
| 6 | 62 | Dušan BORKOVIĆ |  |
Target Competition | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 14 | 2:00.132 | 1.349 |
| 7 | 999 | Dániel NAGY |  |
M1RA | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 12 | 2:00.178 | 1.395 |
| 8 | 32 | Ollie TAYLOR |  |
Pyro Motorsport | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 12 | 2:00.238 | 1.455 |
| 9 | 34 | Stian PAULSEN |  |
Stian Paulsen Racing | CUPRA TCR | 8 | 2:00.403 | 1.620 |
| 10 | 38 | Danny KROES |  |
PCR Sport | CUPRA TCR | 12 | 2:00.555 | 1.772 |
| 11 | 3 | Cosimo BARBERINI | |
Race Republic | Subaru WRX STi TCR | 13 | 2:00.562 | 1.779 |
| 12 | 15 | Peter TERTING |  |
Autodis Racing by Piro Sports | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 13 | 2:00.789 | 2.006 |
| 13 | 9 | Attila TASSI | |
Hell Energy Racing with KCMG | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 13 | 2:00.842 | 2.059 |
| 14 | 8 | Reece BARR |  |
Target Competition | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 14 | 2:00.950 | 2.167 |
| 15 | 42 | Stefano COMINI |  |
Autodis Racing by THX | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 13 | 2:01.031 | 2.248 |
| 16 | 94 | Kris RICHARD | |
Target Competition | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 11 | 2:01.052 | 2.269 |
| 17 | 23 | Francisco ABREU |  |
Sports & You | Peugeot 308 TCR | 13 | 2:01.228 | 2.445 |
| 18 | 16 | Nicola BALDAN | |
M1RA | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 12 | 2:01.372 | 2.589 |
| 19 | 11 | Jens Reno MØLLER |  |
Reno Racing | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 3 | 2:01.477 | 2.694 |
| 20 | 17 | Martin RYBA |  |
Brutal Fish Racing Team | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 12 | 2:01.693 | 2.910 |
| 21 | 10 | Viktor DAVIDOVSKY |  |
PSS Racing Team | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 15 | 2:01.724 | 2.941 |
| 22 | 77 | Roberto RUSSO | |
Race Republic – Top Run Motorsport | Subaru WRX STi TCR | 9 | 2:01.728 | 2.945 |
| 23 | 63 | Giovanni ALTOÈ | |
Pit Lane Competizioni | Audi RS3 LMS TCR DSG | 12 | 2:01.742 | 2.959 |
| 24 | 79 | José Manuel SAPAG |  |
Baporo Motorsport | CUPRA TCR | 10 | 2:01.793 | 3.010 |
| 25 | 7 | Igor STEFANOVSKI | |
Stefanovski Racing Team | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 12 | 2:01.798 | 3.015 |
| 26 | 630 | Benjamin LESSENNES | |
Autodis Racing by THX | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 12 | 2:01.817 | 3.034 |
| 27 | 99 | Josh FILES | |
Hell Energy Racing with KCMG | Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR | 2 | 19:54.433 | 55.650 |