Norbert Michelisz was fastest in the first free practice session of the World Touring Car Cup weekend at the Slovakiaring with Alfa Romeo driver Ma Qing Hua just 33 hundredths of a second behind.

Hyundai driver Michelisz set his fastest lap on his very first flying lap and kept the top spot throughout the session. Team Mulsanne driver Hua improved in the final minutes of the session, showing improved pace of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR following its 60kg compensation weight reduction.

Tom Coronel headed Cupra colleague Daniel Haglöf in positions three and four, three and four tenths of a second from the top time respectively.

Niels Langeveld was fifth fastest for Comtoyou Racing in his Audi RS 3 LMS but stopped on track in the dying minutes of the session and was towed back into the pits.

Kevin Ceccon placed the second of the Alfa Romeos in sixth position ahead of the fastest Honda driver in the form of Tiago Monteiro, seven tenths of a second from Michelisz.

WRT Audi driver Jean-Karl Vernay rounded off the top eight, just over nine tenths from the top spot.

Championship leader Néstor Girolami was 13th fastest for Münnich Motorsport, with all Hondas carrying maximum compensation weight of 60kg.

The Volkswagen drivers struggled throughout the session with Benjamin Leucther fastest for the German manufacturer in 15th position. All Volkswagen drivers carry 60kg of compensation weight this weekend due to a new homologation.

Also struggling were the Lynk & Co drivers, with Yann Ehrlacher as their top driver in 22nd position, 2,2 seconds from Michelisz.

The second free practice session starts at 11:30 CEST.