DOHA: Two-time world champion Jose Maria Lopez last night made it three fastest times in as many outings after he topped the second free practice session for the season’s final round of WTCC under lights at Losail International Circuit.
The World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) star from Argentina finished the second free practice session ahead of Campos Racing’s entry Huge Valente as world’s top 18 drivers battled it out in cool track conditions.
Lopez, who topped the first free practice session as well, finished the night’s final outing with a time of 2:01.859.
Frenchman Valente was 0.225 seconds behind the Argentine who was driving his Citroen C-Elysee.
The Argentine clocked his fastest time in lap 6.
“The team did a good job with the car and the set-up and I was happy,” said Lopez.
“I like the track but there is not so much grip with a kind of small layer of sand. We should see some good racing tomorrow but I’m not thinking too much about this performance or the possibility of 10 wins. I will just try to do my best.”
Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Gregoire Demoustier surprised fans with a quick drive, finishing in third spot with a time of 2:02.262.
Rallying star Sebastian Loeb finished in fourth spot (2:02.267) in the second free practice session.
Campos Chevrolet’s John Filippi finished fifth fastest in a time of 2:02.404.
ROAL Motorsport’s Tom Chilton was sixth (2:02.519) while Ma Qing Hua put his Citroen in seventh fastest (2:02.588).
Moroccan star Mehdi Bennani - who was second fastest in the first free practice session - was eight in the second (2:02.631).
Munnich Motorsport’s Stefano D’Aste and LADA’s Nicky Catsburg completed the top ten at Losail International Circuit that will host the season’s first night race tonight.
Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, who is making his WTCC debut this week, finished the first free practice session in 17th spot with a time of 2:04.445.
The 45-year-old Dakar Rally champion improved to 2:03.600 in the second free practice session.
Earlier in the first free practice session under lights, world champion Lopez was hard to beat as the Argentine star romped to a fastest time of 2.02.453.
Sitting behind the wheels of his Citroen C-Elysee, Lopez dominated the proceedings with a slick ride, clocking the best time on lap three. The double world champion completed 10 laps around the 5.38km circuit.
Bennani was equally impressive in the first practice session, sealing the second fastest time 2:02.863.
Loeb was third while Stefano D’Aste finished in fourth spot for the privateer ALL-INKL.COM Munnich Motorsport team from Germany.
Gabriele Tarquini was fifth fastest for Honda.
The two 30-minute sessions provided the WTCC drivers with their first opportunity to sample the Losail International Circuit under the venue’s start-of-the-art floodlighting system, which provides enough illumination to light a residential street from Doha to Moscow.
Today, the first race is scheduled to start at 9:30pm while the second race will commence at 10:40pm.
Organisers said yesterday that entrance to the grandstand is free for all the spectators.
Officials said there will be pick-up points of free transportation from Doha to Losail International Circuit today for the fans wishing to turn out for the historic race.
THE PENINSULA
