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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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