Tiago Monteiro returned to the head of the field in Free Practice 2 for FIA WTCC ROSNEFT Race of Russia, which took place on a damp Moscow Raceway.
Conditions did improve during the session and Monteiro set his benchmark of 1m55.309s on his final lap of the 3.931-kilometre layout.
As in the dry, it was Honda and LADA competing over the top positions. Monteiro’s Honda team-mates Norbert Michelisz and Rob Huff were second and fourth, with LADA drivers Gabriele Tarquini and Hugo Valente third and fifth.
“It was a good session for us and the car was feeling good in the damp or dry,” said Monteiro. “We should be in good shape no matter if it’s dry or damp in Qualifying. If it’s wet it will be an unknown quantity but the car felt good, the balance was good and we’re feeling positive.”
Best among the WTCC Trophy drivers, James Thompson took sixth on his latest appearance in the ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Chevrolet, ahead of Yvan Muller and Mehdi Bennani in the best of the Citroëns. Ferenc Ficza was ninth for Zengő Motorsport in front of the world championship leader José María López.
The teams now have two hours to prepare for Qualifying at 14h00 local time.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiago Monteiro | Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda | 1:55.309 |
| 2 | Norbert Michelisz | Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda | 1:55.566 |
| 3 | Gabriele Tarquini | LADA Sport | Lada | 1:55.579 |
| 4 | Rob Huff | Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda | 1:55.959 |
| 5 | Hugo Valente | LADA Sport | Lada | 1:56.403 |
| 6 | James Thompson | Munnich Motorsport | Chevrolet | 1:56.470 |
| 7 | Yvan Muller | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | 1:56.908 |
| 8 | Mehdi Bennani | Sebastien Loeb Racing | Citroen | 1:57.354 |
| 9 | Ferenc Ficza | Zengo | Honda | 1:57.444 |
| 10 | Jose Maria Lopez | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | 1:57.478 |
| 11 | Nicky Catsburg | LADA Sport | Lada | 1:57.759 |
| 12 | John Filippi | Campos Racing | Chevrolet | 1:58.082 |
| 13 | Thed Bjork | Polestar Cyan | Volvo | 1:58.086 |
| 14 | Tom Coronel | ROAL Motorsport | Chevrolet | 1:58.601 |
| 15 | Grégoire Demoustier | Sebastien Loeb Racing | Citroen | 1:58.800 |
| 16 | Tom Chilton | Sebastien Loeb Racing | Citroen | 1:59.134 |
| 17 | Fredrik Ekblom | Polestar Cyan | Volvo | 2:00.068 |