Nicky Catsburg topped Free Practice 2 at FIA WTCC Race of Germany on Friday morning, lapping underneath the qualifying record on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife.
The Volvo Cyan Racing driver achieved an 8m34.813s at the end of the 60-minute session, going more than two seconds faster than Norbert Michelisz had managed just a short moment earlier. The Dutchman seemed to be pushing hard throughout, filling the front of his Volvo Polestar with grass after one off-track moment. His time bettered the 8m35.541s of champion José María López in qualifying last year.
Honda’s Michelisz, the pace-setter in Free Practice 1 on Thursday, was a similar gap in front of third-placed Citroën driver Rob Huff, who had sat quickest prior to the chequered flag.
Catsburg’s team-mate Thed Björk took fourth, while Nordschleife newcomer Esteban Guerrieri went fifth late on and was second to Huff in WTCC Trophy.
World Touring Car Championship leader Tiago Monteiro was sixth in front of Tom Chilton, Nestor Girolami, Tom Coronel and Mehdi Bennani.
Yann Ehrlacher returned to action following his heavy crash in Free Practice 1, after his RC Motorsport team worked overnight to repair the car to enable the young Frenchman to get some laps in before qualifying, which will start at 12h45 local time.