Slovakia WTCC: Tarquini keeps Honda on top in second practice
Gabriele Tarquini kept Honda on top with a last-gasp effort in the second Slovakia Ring World Touring Car practice
The Italian had been down in ninth position heading into the final two minutes, his session compromised by an early off at Turn 13 which dragged gravel into the front of his car.
In his absence Yvan Muller and RML Chevrolet stablemate Tom Chilton had led the way, with Muller fastest on a 2m12.411s.
Tarquini, fastest in the first session, was not to be denied a practice sweep, however.
One final run produced a 2m12.228s, earning him top spot by just under two tenths of a second.
Muller and Chilton stayed second and third, while defending champion Rob Huff showed strongly again by taking fourth in his Munnich SEAT.
The Spanish marque won the opening race in Slovakia last year courtesy of Tarquini.
Tiago Monteiro made it two Hondas in the top five, although he was forced to abandon his fastest lap when Alex MacDowall went off at Turn 13, bringing out the yellow flags.
It was just one of a number of incidents in a messy session, with James Nash, Rene Munnich, Marc Basseng, Charles Ng, Fredy Barth and Franz Engstler also enjoying lurid moments.
Munnich's off prompted the reds to fly, with his SEAT beached at the exit of Turn 9. He was pushed out and able to return to the pits under his own steam.
Darryl O'Young backed up his FP1 pace by going sixth fastest - the top BMW - although he was more than 1.7s down on Tarquini.
Norbert Michelisz in the Zengo-run Honda Civic was seventh, while Tom Coronel's ROAL BMW was sandwiched by the SEATS of Fernando Monje and Pepe Oriola.
Pos Driver Car Time Gap Laps 1. Gabriele Tarquini Honda 2m12.228s 10 2. Yvan Muller RML Chevrolet 2m12.411s + 0.183s 10 3. Tom Chilton RML Chevrolet 2m12.813s + 0.585s 10 4. Robert Huff Munnich SEAT 2m12.904s + 0.676s 11 5. Tiago Monteiro Honda 2m13.668s + 1.440s 7 6. Darryl O'Young ROAL BMW 2m13.956s + 1.728s 10 7. Norbert Michelisz Zengo Honda 2m14.128s + 1.900s 8 8. Fernando Monje Campos SEAT 2m14.131s + 1.903s 9 9. Tom Coronel ROAL BMW 2m14.165s + 1.937s 12 10. Pepe Oriola Tuenti SEAT 2m14.242s + 2.014s 10 11. Alex MacDowall Bamboo Chevrolet 2m14.494s + 2.266s 7 12. Fredy Barth Wiechers BMW 2m14.499s + 2.271s 11 13. Michel Nykjaer NIKA Chevrolet 2m14.600s + 2.372s 11 14. Charles Ng Engstler BMW 2m14.602s + 2.374s 4 15. Mehdi Bennani Proteam BMW 2m14.840s + 2.612s 12 16. Franz Engstler Engstler BMW 2m14.852s + 2.624s 11 17. James Thompson Lada 2m14.997s + 2.769s 9 18. Marc Basseng Munnich SEAT 2m15.360s + 3.132s 10 19. James Nash Bamboo Chevrolet 2m15.471s + 3.243s 7 20. Stefano D'Aste PB BMW 2m15.682s + 3.454s 11 21. M.Kozlovskiy Lada 2m16.852s + 4.624s 12 22. Rene Munnich Munnich SEAT 13m48.990s + 11m36.762s 1 23. Tom Boardman Special Tuning SEAT no time 0
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