#### Nicolas Taylor tops the first practice session at Spa-Francorchamps

PMA Motorsport’s Nicolas Taylor led the way through most of the 30-minute first practice session at Spa-Francorchamps in his Audi RS 3 LMS, over half a second clear of current points leader Alex Ley’s Hyundai.

Taylor was the first driver to set a competitive time under the 2:30 window, and then continued to improve, with his best time of 2:28.601 set late in the session after a setting a number of times in the same window.

Ley popped up to second in his BRC Racing Team Hyundai before his first flying lap was deleted, but was able to come back to second place with a time 0.570 seconds down on Taylor’s flyer.

It was a strong session for PMA Motorsport, with Nicola Baldan third quickest, setting his best time right at the end of the session, dropping last year’s race winner Marco Butti to fourth, the only other driver within a second of Taylor’s time.

Mike Halder was the best-placed of the Honda drivers in fifth, 1.3 seconds away, just ahead of team-mate Max Hart, with Viktor Andersson’s Monlau Motorsport CUPRA seventh fastest.

Gabriele Covini was eighth in his Hyundai, while TCR Europe Cup Spa winner Santiago Concepción was in the top ten in his AIKOA Racing Audi in ninth, just ahead of Spa and TCR Europe newcomer Michael Markussen.

The only drama in the session was for RC2 Racing Team’s Victor Chan, who stopped after hitting the barrier at Raidillon at the end of the session.

24 cars took part following the absence of JSB Compétition and its two Hyundais.