BRC Racing’s Norbert Michelisz beat Hyundai team-mate Mikel Azcona to the fastest time in second practice for the FIA World Touring Car Cup at Vallelunga in Italy, as the Lynk & Co drivers again struggled for pace.
Michelisz edged out team-mate and championship leader Azcona by just 0.067 seconds around the shorter National circuit, beating the Spaniard to the top time later on in the half-hour session, after Azcona had himself been fastest early on with his effort.
“The feeling is good, but you have to know we used new tyres now, so as far as I know the others were not,” said Michelisz. “It’s a bit misaligned now.
“But I think we have a chance to finish inside the top ten. This shouldn’t be considered as the qualifying positions – we had better grip than the others.
“We have a good base and the car is working well. The heat is tough but we have to be used to this. We’ve had it many times in the past. So far, so good. I’m really looking forward to qualifying now.”
Nathanaël Berthon had earlier set the pace in first practice with a lap of 1 minute 15.418 seconds, but this time the Audi driver couldn’t go any faster and ended up in third, just under a tenth of a second from Michelisz.
Mehid Bennani was once again fourth fastest in his Comtoyou Racing Audi, ahead of the best Honda of Néstor Girolami in fifth, the Argentine once again the top driver for the Japanese manufacturer.
Cyan Racing’s fortunes improved on slightly in second practice – Thed Björk was the fastest Lynk & Co driver in sixth, the only driver for the Chinese marque to feature inside the top ten, although he was three tenths off the pace around the short circuit.
Attila Tassi put his Honda in seventh, ahead of stable-mate Esteban Guerrier in eighth.
The top ten was completed by Comtoyou Racing’s Tom Coronel and Team Engstler’s Tiago Monteiro.
Having earlier gone off circuit and caused a red flag in first practice, Cyan Racing’s Yvan Muller was again propping up the timesheets, the only driver over a second off the pace despite completing 13 laps in this session.
Qualifying is scheduled to get underway at 14:00 BST (15:00 CEST).
Session results
| POS | NO | NAT | DRIVER | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 5 |  |
Norbert MICHELISZ | BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 12 | 1:15.321 | – |
| 2 | 96 |  |
Mikel AZCONA | BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 14 | 1:15.388 | 0.067 |
| 3 | 17 |  |
Nathanaël BERTHON | Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport | Audi RS3 LMS TCR 2021 | 16 | 1:15.418 | 0.097 |
| 4 | 25 |  |
Mehdi BENNANI | Comtoyou Team Audi Sport | Audi RS3 LMS TCR 2021 | 16 | 1:15.572 | 0.251 |
| 5 | 29 |  |
Néstor GIROLAMI | ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport | Honda Civic Type-R FK7 TCR | 11 | 1:15.606 | 0.285 |
| 6 | 11 |  |
Thed BJÖRK | Cyan Performance Lynk & Co | Lynk & Co 03 TCR | 17 | 1:15.627 | 0.306 |
| 7 | 9 | |
Attila TASSI | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Honda Civic Type-R FK7 TCR | 17 | 1:15.642 | 0.321 |
| 8 | 86 | |
Esteban GUERRIERI | ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport | Honda Civic Type-R FK7 TCR | 12 | 1:15.655 | 0.334 |
| 9 | 33 |  |
Tom CORONEL | Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport | Audi RS3 LMS TCR 2021 | 15 | 1:15.776 | 0.455 |
| 10 | 18 |  |
Tiago MONTEIRO | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | Honda Civic Type-R FK7 TCR | 17 | 1:15.790 | 0.469 |
| 11 | 68 | |
Yann EHRLACHER | Cyan Racing Lynk & Co | Lynk & Co 03 TCR | 13 | 1:15.802 | 0.481 |
| 12 | 16 |  |
Gilles MAGNUS | Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport | Audi RS3 LMS TCR 2021 | 15 | 1:15.803 | 0.482 |
| 13 | 12 |  |
Santiago URRUTIA | Cyan Performance Lynk & Co | Lynk & Co 03 TCR | 12 | 1:15.949 | 0.628 |
| 14 | 55 |  |
MA Qing Hua | Cyan Performance Lynk & Co | Lynk & Co 03 TCR | 6 | 1:16.022 | 0.701 |
| 15 | 79 |  |
Rob HUFF | Zengő Motorsport Services Kft | CUPRA Leon Competición TCR | 14 | 1:16.202 | 0.881 |
| 16 | 100 | |
Yvan MULLER | Cyan Racing Lynk & Co | Lynk & Co 03 TCR | 13 | 1:16.367 | 1.046 |