Menu on top!
The Chevrolet man clocked a 2:10.007 time just before the chequered flag, putting two seconds on the gap to Yvan Muller and the rest of the field.
The first part of the session was led by Menu’s team-mate Nicola Larini, who set a provisional fastest time of 2:17.560 on his first flying lap, which he immediately improved to 2:12.986.
Halfway through the session, Miguel Freitas' Alfa Romeo hit the plastic barriers at the chicane in front of the pits, causing the session being interrupted by the red flag.
When the test resumed, Menu moved on top of the time sheet, clocking a 2:12.900 with ten minutes left. But only a few seconds later the Swiss was ousted by Yvan Muller's 2:12.034 that remained the fastest lap until Menu improved again.
Jörg Müller emerged as the best of the BMW men, setting the third fastest lap (2:12.175) immediately ahead of Andy Priaulx (2:12.879). Local hero Tiago Monteiro was sixth fastest, between Larini and Tom Coronel.
Sergio Hernández set the pace in the Independents' class; he clocked the eighth best lap overall towards the end of the session, immediately before hitting the wall at Turn ten and damaging the front left suspension of his BMW.
Some parts of the track proved to be slippery and tricky, misleading the drivers. Turn 12 resulted as the most difficult point, as a few cars – Huff's, J. Müller's, D'Aste's, Larini's, Zanardi's and Corthals' – missed the braking point and went straight. However they all rejoined.
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