Rob Huff emerged as the fastest driver after two and a half hours of testing for the TCR International Series at the Zhejiang Circuit on Friday, as Hyundai’s new i30 N TCR took to the track in the series for the first time.
Huff, who had been one of the early pace-setters after just 15 minutes, ended up with a time of 1 minute 34.191 seconds around the 3.2 kilometre circuit to edge out Leopard Racing team-mate Jean-Karl Vernay by a mere 0.018 seconds.
The Brit posted his best lap, having completed 51 laps, with just over half an hour to go, to take the top time away from Hyundai’s Gabriele Tarquini, who had shown impressive pace in the new car.
Vernay, who is also sharing a car in TCR China this weekend together with Teamwork Motorsport’s Alex Hui, was near the top of the times throughout the session, before going second quickest inside the final half hour.
WestCoast Racing’s Gianni Morbidelli was third quickest in his Volkswagen Golf GTi, which is now shod of the 30 kg of success ballast which he had to carry last time out in Thailand. The Italian was also within a tenth of the best lap in the session, having held the top time with an hour to go before slipping down the order.
Tarquini put his new Hyundai in fourth for its début test in the TCR International Series, 0.253 seconds off the pace and a tenth ahead of team-mate Alain Menu in fifth in what was a strong start for the new car.
Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Dan Lloyd was the leading SEAT driver in sixth, just over half a second from the pace, ahead of M1RA’s returning Roberto Colciago in seventh.
Craft-Bamboo duo Pepe Oriola and James Nash were eighth and ninth respectively, whilst the GE-Force Alfa Romeo of Dušan Borković completed the top ten.
Championship leader Attila Tassi only completed five laps in his Honda, ending the session as the slowest driver after failing to get a clear flying lap in. The M1RA team had opted to run a testing engine in Tassi’s Civic, which experienced issues in the session.
There will be no engine-change penalty, however, as the Civic’s original race engine is fully functional and can be swapped back into the car for Saturday.
The next track action for the TCR International Series is Free Practice 1 at 10:00 local time (03:00 BST, 04:00 CEST) on Saturday.
Session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 3 | Rob HUFF |  |
Leopard Racing Team WRT | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 51 | 1:34.191 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 2 | Jean-Karl VERNAY |  |
Leopard Racing Team WRT | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 38 | 1:34.209 | 0.018 |
| 3 | 10 | Gianni MORBIDELLI |  |
West Coast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 44 | 1:34.232 | 0.041 |
| 4 | 30 | Gabriele TARQUINI | |
BRC Racing Team | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 50 | 1:34.444 | 0.253 |
| 5 | 33 | Alain MENU |  |
BRC Racing Team | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 35 | 1:34.528 | 0.337 |
| 6 | 17 | Daniel LLOYD | |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 51 | 1:34.737 | 0.546 |
| 7 | 5 | Roberto COLCIAGO | |
M1RA | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 46 | 1:34.830 | 0.639 |
| 8 | 74 | Pepe ORIOLA |  |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 40 | 1:34.920 | 0.729 |
| 9 | 54 | James NASH | |
Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing | SEAT León TCR | 51 | 1:35.218 | 1.027 |
| 10 | 62 | Dušan BORKOVIĆ |  |
GE-Force | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 46 | 1:35.380 | 1.189 |
| 11 | 1 | Stefano COMINI | |
Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 42 | 1:35.415 | 1.224 |
| 12 | 6 | Frédéric VERVISCH |  |
Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 46 | 1:35.444 | 1.253 |
| 13 | 4 | Denis DUPONT | |
Comtoyou Racing | SEAT León TCR | 38 | 1:35.657 | 1.466 |
| 14 | 28 | Aurélien PANIS | |
Boutsen Ginion Racing | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 42 | 1:35.698 | 1.507 |
| 15 | 16 | Davit KAJAIA |  |
GE-Force | Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR | 47 | 1:35.757 | 1.566 |
| 16 | 70 | Mat’o HOMOLA |  |
DG Sport Compétition | Opel Astra TCR | 53 | 1:36.111 | 1.920 |
| 17 | 81 | Zhendong ZHANG |  |
ZZZ Team | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 38 | 1:36.132 | 1.941 |
| 18 | 18 | Duncan ENDE |  |
Icarus Motorsports | SEAT León TCR | 44 | 1:37.117 | 2.926 |
| 19 | 71 | Tengyi JIANG | |
ZZZ Team | Audi RS3 LMS TCR | 31 | 1:37.729 | 3.538 |
| 20 | 99 | Rafaël GALIANA | |
West Coast Racing | Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR | 39 | 1:37.991 | 3.800 |
| 21 | 9 | Attila TASSI |  |
M1RA | Honda Civic Type-R TCR | 5 | 1:57.913 | 23.722 |