Polestar Cyan Racing’s Nicky Catsburg set the fastest-ever lap by a WTCC driver at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, taking top honours in the second free practice session of the weekend.
The Dutchman, who is also competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, set the initial benchmark of an 8:42.109, before his final effort saw him break the pole position lap time set by José María López last year, with a 8:34.813 around the 25.3-km circuit.
Honda’s Norbert Michelisz also set his best time of a 8:37.201 on his last effort, having only opted to go out in the last 25 minutes of the session, finding himself losing out to Catsburg.
The Hungarian would end up 2.127 seconds quicker than Münnich Motorsport’s Rob Huff, who went fastest of all with 24 minutes to go, posting a 8:39.328, having gone 2.068 seconds faster than Polestar’s Thed Björk in fourth.
Campos Racing’s Esteban Guerrieri was the best of the Chevrolet contingent in fifth place, having hustled his Cruze TC1 past the likes of current championship leader Tiago Monteiro and Tom Chilton, who set his best time on old tyres.
Nestor Girolami was eighth fastest, ahead of ROAL Motorsport’s Tom Coronel and Sébastien Loeb Racing’s Mehdi Bennani, who completed the top ten.
John Fillipi rounded out the Citröen ranks in 11th place, with RC Motorsport’s Kevin Gleason using his experience around the Eifel-based circuit to bring his Lada Vesta TC1 12th.
Ryo Michigami was 13th fastest, ahead of the Zengo Motorsport Honda driver pairing of Daniel Nagy and Aurélien Panis, whilst Yann Erlacher’s session was compromised with technical issues, including a driveshaft change.
Qualifying for the Race of Germany gets underway at 1245 local time.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 63 | Nicky CATSBURG |  |
Polestar Cyan Racing | Volvo S60 Polestar | 3 | 8:34.813 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 5 | Norbert MICHELISZ |  |
Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda Civic WTCC | 2 | 8:37.201 | 2.388 |
| 3 | 12 | Rob HUFF |  |
ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 3 | 8:39.328 | 4.515 |
| 4 | 62 | Thed BJÖRK |  |
Polestar Cyan Racing | Volvo S60 Polestar | 2 | 8:41.396 | 6.583 |
| 5 | 86 | Esteban GUERRIERI |  |
Campos Racing | Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 | 3 | 8:42.232 | 7.419 |
| 6 | 18 | Tiago MONTEIRO |  |
Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda Civic WTCC | 2 | 8:42.586 | 7.773 |
| 7 | 3 | Tom CHILTON | |
Sébastien Loeb Racing | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 3 | 8:42.855 | 8.042 |
| 8 | 61 | Néstor GIROLAMI | |
Polestar Cyan Racing | Volvo S60 Polestar | 2 | 8:44.705 | 9.892 |
| 9 | 9 | Tom CORONEL | |
ROAL Motorsport | Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 | 4 | 8:44.841 | 10.028 |
| 10 | 25 | Mehdi BENNANI |  |
Sébastien Loeb Racing | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 3 | 8:45.322 | 10.509 |
| 11 | 27 | John FILIPPI |  |
Sébastien Loeb Racing | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 4 | 8:45.671 | 10.858 |
| 12 | 24 | Kevin GLEASON |  |
RC Motorsport | LADA Vesta WTCC | 4 | 8:48.987 | 14.174 |
| 13 | 34 | Ryo MICHIGAMI |  |
Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda Civic WTCC | 2 | 8:49.506 | 14.693 |
| 14 | 99 | Dániel NAGY | |
Zengő Motorsport Kft | Honda Civic WTCC | 3 | 8:54.326 | 19.513 |
| 15 | 8 | Aurélien PANIS | |
Zengő Motorsport Kft | Honda Civic WTCC | 3 | 8:55.079 | 20.266 |
| 16 | 68 | Yann EHRLACHER | |
RC Motorsport | LADA Vesta WTCC | 2 | 9:14.620 | 39.807 |