Montenegro tops first practice with a new lap record
Ignacio Montenegro was fastest in the first practice for the FIA Motorsport Games Touring Car Cup at Valencia. The Argentine driver and his GOAT Racing Honda Civic set a new lap record for TCR cars on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo with the time of 1:40.106.
Jenson Brickley was the first one to post a significant time of 1:40.955, which was soon bettered by Montenegro’s 1:40.708 and Eric Gené’s 1:40.511.
After twenty minutes, Aurélien Comte was forced to abort a fast lap by a yellow flag and when the green was waved, Montenegro improved further to 1:40.376. Then Comte, finally completed another try and jumped on top with 1:40.237 that was already the fastest lap ever set by a TCR car on this track.
But it was not the end yet, as just before the session expired, Montenegro went one tenth faster. Comte, Gené and Raphael Reis were classified behind him, with the top four covered by six tenths.
Next action will be the second practice at 15:35.
Jenson Brickley: “I know the track very well, but I have to find out the way the tyres work. The first outing was good, now I hope the second practice will be better.”
Adam Kout: “I took it easy, because I have to re-learn the track. I was here many years ago in Formula Renault, but it’s like new to me. Now we make some changes to the set up.”
René Kircher: “These were my very first laps with the new Honda FL5, so today everything is new to me: car, track and tyres. I’m sure that in FP2 we will be faster.”
Aurélien Comte: “It was a good session. I didn’t have tested the car on these tyres and so I’m very happy with my lap time.”
Ignacio Montenegro: “The car had a very good balance, and my lap time was very good as well even if the track was a bit dirty and slippery. Now we will try a long run in FP2.”
Eric Gené: “We have been third fastest, which was not bad at all to start. We have tested something on the car. Now lets’ wait for the next practice, but Montenegro has already set an impressive mark.”
Picture: courtesy Tamara Aller
