Augusto Farfus topped the times at today’s testing session at Zolder, with team-mate Andy Priaulx in 3rd sandwiching championship leader Yvan Muller, the trio seperated by just two tenths of a second.
“It’s a great start to the weekend,” said Farfus. “Obviously it is just the beginning so there is a long way to go and we were lucky to get a good clear lap this afternoon but everything is looking fine.”
There was a big surprise near the sharp end of the field, as independent Darryl O’Young took 4th place in Bamboo Engineering Chevrolet Lacetti. A 1:40.507 meant he was 4 tenths off the pace of Farfus, but it was still an incredible performace, beating all the SEAT Leon TDIs and the other works Chevrolets, using the newer Cruze model instead of the now outdated Lacetti.
“The team did a fantastic job,” said O’Young. “It's the first time they and the Chevrolet Lacetti have been to the circuit and they did a great job to give me a good set up right from the beginning. I have been to the circuit before, last year in FIA GT, so I know the track but we do have a few things we need to fine tune still.”
Tom Coronel was the lead SEAT in 5th place, and behind him despite spending much of the session in the pits was Rob Huff, with team-mate Alain Menu less than a tenth behind. The last of the works Chevrolets, in the hands of local driver Vincent Radermecker, only managed 10th place.
Kristian Poulsen showed significant improvement to post the 12th fastest time, and 2nd in the independents class, unlike another local driver, this time series returnee Pierre-Yves Corthals, who struggled his way to 21st place in the only petrol powered SEAT on the grid.
